I Do    Hate You
by vickisan
Summary: Cocky young Edward Cullen makes a promise to his best friend, James to keep Bella safe.  Will that include marrying her?  Written by myself and Lynzi  whose idea it was!   all human/canon in the end!
1. Chapter 1 by Lynzi  Where it All Began

**Disclaimer:** All the Twilight stuff belongs to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. I'm just playing in her sandbox.

I Do . . . Hate You

Chapter 1 By Lynzi Where it All Began

I lay on my bed and watched the endless drizzle of rain. It was not hard enough to be worthwhile, just enough to be annoying. Annoying, that word pretty well summed up this God-forsaken town. I suspect my parents moved us here to bore me to death. College was insufferable, the fellow students sucked, so small town minded, smiling at a girl had you engaged and halfway down the aisle. Gossip seemed to be their only entertainment and I smirked as I overheard what had been said about me since my arrival two years ago. First I was 'completely and utterly gorgeous", yeah, well, they were right about that, I'll give them that one. I looked at myself in the mirrored tiles on my bedroom wall.

Utterly gorgeous, no fucking doubt about that.

I smirked at myself and did my million dollar half smile that made their panties damp.

Shit, Cullen, I fancy you myself.

But then when I knocked back a couple of obvious ho's, I was suddenly labeled gay.

Not gay, I'm just saying.

I have been with a few girls and none of them ever thought I was gay, far from it.

No, I was no shirt-lifter, no batter for the other team. I liked the ladies all right, just not the boring, studious types that made up half the population at school or the cheap hussy tarts that made up the rest.

I felt no attraction to girls any boy could have, where was the challenge in that? If you knew she was going to say yes before you asked, then why bother? I go for the ones who are undecided, not sure if they will or won't, but they all do in the end. Nobody can resist Edward Cullen.

I tried not to even think about her, the one that could.

I had zero interest in her, so why the fuck does it bother me that she feels exactly the same about me? It just bugs me, okay? I don't like thinking there is a woman out there who doesn't find me attractive. I like swanning through the school, watching even the pathetic girls look up and sigh and long for me, even if most of them have a snowflakes chance in Hell I would ever give them the pleasure.

It's just how it is, right, I am the best thing that ever happened to Forks, or Fucks, as I call it myself.

Fucked up boring shithole of a town.

I hate it here and the fucking minute I blow out the candles on my 21st birthday cake, I am outa here. I will have my trust fund from my grandparents and I will spend it neither wisely nor well.

I don't give a crap what Carlisle says. Education smeducation. What they have on offer here just sucks that bad, I would rather live in a cardboard box in New York, and beg for money and eat out of trash cans and smoke the butts people toss into the gutter than stay living here and keep attending this local pathetic Community College, which is all my father is willing to pay for seeing I may have done a few things in the past to annoy him.

Man can't take a joke, you know what I mean?

That car was a piece of crap already. Emmett, my older brother, had already thrashed the guts out of it, I was lucky to get it to go over 60, until his girlfriend Rosalie' I Am So Fucking Gorgeous' Hale made a few adjustments under the hood for me when I agreed to lie to the parents about where Em was spending his nights.

He had an imaginary studybuddy, Brian, who needed a lot of tutoring, and Emm was such a good guy, he often studied well into the night with Brian, in fact, sometimes they fell asleep at the desk in Brian's bedroom and Emm crashed on the couch.

We had 'Brian's' cell number on divert, and I answered if the parents ever rang to check.

"Oh Hello Mrs Cullen, it's no nice of you to let Emmett help me with my Geography assignment, because I am such a dumbshit I couldn't even write my own name on the cover of the binder without him."

I loved how they blindly accepted Emm was helping some backward student, no questions asked. Like Emm ever helped anyone who didn't 'help him back' if you get my drift. Rosalie helped him a lot, I heard all about it when we drove to school together.

She was obviously far more flexible than I gave her credit for. She always looked so stiff and upright, like she had a steel rod up her ass, to me.

Probably shouldn't even go there, I didn't need details about Emm's steel rod and where he shoved it.

My phone rang and I grabbed it eagerly.

"James" said the called id.

Thank God for James.

Without James I would be sentenced to a lifetime of actually studying out of sheer self defence to ward off the boredom. Or wanking myself to death.

"What's happening?" I asked, ready to agree to anything he suggested.

"I'm officially fucked, Edward." he replied, sounding like the condemned man walking the green mile.

"What happened?" I sighed, rolling onto my back,but still admiring my hair in the reflection on the wall. Most of James' appeal to me was the very fact he played fast and loose and dangerous, but I knew he would get caught out someday, just not how and where and when.

Looked like today was the day.

"Bella's pregnant." he replied.

"You have got to be joking! I thought you only managed to invade that fortress once? You said she was holding out on you and you only managed to enter her holy land that once at Halloween, when you protected her from all the big, nasty ghoulies and she was sooo grateful."

"That's the truth, but the fucking luck I have, I took her virginity and knocked her up first fuck." he replied.

"So, make her prove it. Deny everything." I answered.

Of course, Bella Swan, just the one to wreck the poor bastard's life.

I was nothing to her yet she adored James, he was the object of all her desires and I am sure if he concentrated on just her, she would put out more. She got all huffy about his 'other girls', like she could ever be enough for a guy like James. She was damned lucky he looked twice at her.

"What's the point, you know it's mine, she never allowed anyone else to fucking well touch her, let alone shag her. It will come out in a paternity test, then I will look like a douche for denying it. Besides, Edward, I like her. A lot."

I snorted.

"Come on, James. You have your pick of every female under 40 in this town, you don't need to get hung up on the future town librarian. If you have to get tied down, go knock up Tori. At least then you will only be assured of the best fuck in town for eternity, not the most aggravating, boring nerdy wife this place can offer."

"I fear Victoria will be nothing but a memory. Bella wants us to elope and confront her parents after the fact."

"She's 18?" I questioned. Having been fast tracked and skipped a class, I was a little younger than my own peers. I could never work out how old people in each class should be.

"Yeah, just my luck. She turned 18 last week. You were invited to her birthday party."

"Oh, that sounded like so much fun, I don't know how I ever resisted. Chief of Police and his crazy wife serving Cool-Aid and cookies and playing Pin the Tail on the Donkey? I had to wash my cat that night, so I couldn't make it."

"You don't have a cat, Edward."

"Shit, I wonder whose cat it was I tossed into the washing machine then?" I laughed.

My sister Alice stood at my door and put her hands on her hips and scowled at my joke.

God knows I would be dead for real had I actually abused a cat in this house.

"Go away and shut my door and come back when you are 21" I yelled at her.

Being my twin, that would be the day I was out of here, she could come in my bedroom all she wanted once I was gone.

She could have the room, put her dollies in it, bring in her stupid uptight friends for tea parties, or whatever else stupid 20 year old girls do in packs.

I always made sure to be out when her female friends descended on the house.

"Dad wants you. He is in his study. But feel free to ignore him, then he will ground you again." she smirked. I threw a pillow at her and she slammed my door as she left.

"I gotta go see what the old man wants now. Hey, want to cut loose and have some fun tonight? If you are getting hitched to Bella Swan, you need a night to fucking remember as you settle for the missionary position every 4th Tuesday of the month on Sexual Intercourse Night."

"I don't know why you hate her so much, Edward, she is really nice."

"Then that explains it, I don't do nice." I retorted. "Eight o'clock, pick me up down the corner, I shall tell Carlisle I have an assignment and lock myself in my bedroom. See ya then."

I shut my phone and decided to call Tori and get her to bring a friend for me.

I endured the talk from my father, something about lifting my grades back to where they had been and then he said something that actually gained my attention.

". . . and we will let you attend NYU to finish the final two years. If you keep your grades up there, then I will pay for the entire tuition, especially if you extend and complete medicine. All expenses, Edwar and a reasonable allowance and a car, of my choice. If not, you get out and get a job if you want to stay and complete the course, but I expect you back with all A's by the end of this term, no exceptions."

What the fuck? My ticket out, paid for by my parents and I get to live in NY and finish my education on his dime? Sweet.

I could be an A grade student anytime I wanted, I just hadn't cared lately. In fact, it was easier for me to just do the assigned work and hand it in, it took restraint to not do my assignments, at least they were slightly more interesting than staring at my ceiling.

"Okay, Carlisle. Not a problem. It shall be done. I will knuckle down and do some catch up work tonight, so keep Alice away from my bedroom," I warned.

"I know what that means. I warn you now, Edward. Tonight is the last night you sneak out and go drinking with James, after tonight consider avoiding him as part of our deal. You get yourself some decent friends, or no friends at all, but James and Victoria are off limits or no deal."

I frowned and briefly pondered if it was worth it, but, what the heck, a ticket out was a ticket out. James and I could party if he came to NY, and the parents would have no idea.

Two more months and this school year was over and I would be gone, and my life here would be but a memory, a boring, pathetic, pale memory.

I made no effort to sneak out after dinner, I simply grabbed my carkeys and made for the front door.

My father's revenge on me wrecking the old car was to replace it with a soccer Mom Volvo.

I know he got a laugh every time he saw me driving past, let him. Wheels were wheels.

I drove to Jame's apartment and ran up the stairs.

She was there, I heard her whiny voice as I raised my hand to knock.

I sighed, did this mean tonight was off?

The door opened and James winked at me over the head of the short brunette who was still whining and had tears streaking down her cheeks.

I almost yelled at her, what the fuck was she thinking , sleeping with James and not being safely on The Pill? Bitch. Probably planned to force him to marry her all along.

I stood back and ignored her as she ignored me.

"I love you, James. This will be okay, we can do this, right? I have filed the papers, Saturday we have a booking at the Registry Office at 10 am."

"I will be there, sugar, don't worry yourself about anything. Edward, I am just taking Bella home then we can discuss that problem you are having with your car."

I shrugged, whatever excuse he gave her, I didn't care about. I had a feeling she had warned James to stay away from me, just as Carlisle had banned him from my life.

"Nice to see you, Bella, you look so amazingly beautiful tonight." I sarcastically commented, hoping she looked in a mirror when she got home and saw what an eyesore she was. Blotchy, pale at the best of times,now she was ghostlike.

She blushed and looked at me, unsure if I was being rude or not.

Stupid cow, like I would ever be nice to her. She was fucking up my best friends life. This was a massive big deal. He would do the 'right thing' and marry her, more fool him.

Carlisle's terms were probably unnecessary, like the little wife would ever let James out on the town again anyway.

Tonight had to be awesome, best night of our lives, something to file away and remember as I studied and caught u and he changed diapers and walked the floor with some screaming kid.

I walked inside his door and sat on the sofa and flicked through the cable channels that came with the apartment. Not a lot to choose from but I found a beer and lay back and let some fair haired chef who swore every second word, make some meal I would actually eat.

I rummaged through James' pantry and found some crackers and ate them with my second beer.

Bored as I was, I was better off than him. No doubt Miss Goody Two Shoes was guilt tripping him some more.

James deserved to get caught out, he never believed in condoms, and always rode bareback, but what were the chances he would knock her up, when he fucked Tori like six nights a week? Obviously she had the sense to be protected herself. Thank God, I couldn't imagine Tori with a kid. She would probably sell it on eBay, smart girl, not insist on a quickie wedding and a feeble attempt of a happy ever after. Doomed from the start, James would never change.

I hope...

He finally came home and sat opposite me.

"You are really turning up on Saturday?" I questioned. "We have friends in Alaska, you could go live with them for a while."

"Edward, I want to marry Bella." he stated.

"Sure you do. Tell me you are giving up Tori and being faithful now you have a kid on the way and I will know the world is ending." I scoffed.

"I am giving up Tori, and the others, I am taking my vows seriously. Bella is what I want and I can be what she needs me to be."

"Okay, whatever you say. I shall buy you a pipe and slippers for your wild evenings in around the fire while the baby screams with colic...maybe I should buy you a shotgun instead, on second thoughts."

"I would never hurt Bella or my kid." he answered gravely.

"No, but you might want to put yourself out of your misery." I told him.

"You don't get it at all. She deserves me to do my best for her and the kid. I couldn't live with myself if I didn't marry her and be her husband and be faithful, and be a father to my own kid, Edward. I lived my whole life with no Dad. I know you and Carlisle clash and have your differences but everything he ever did for you was out of love and hope. You think he wants to be stuck in Forks? He moved here to get you away from the drugs and your stupid mates that were going nowhere. He just didn't factor in, guys like that are everywhere, even here. I am glad I am getting a whole lifestyle change with Bella, I need to grow up at some point, and this situation decided it for me. I am ready, Edward."

"No, you will be ready tomorrow. Tonight we party, and you fuck the living daylights out of Tori and we will see how you are thinking in the morning. Don't forget, you can always change your mind and go to Denali. Tanya is pretty damn hot, I was saving her for myself once I got around to visiting Alaska without the parents, she is one adventurous lady. You would like her."

"Whatever, but I won't change my mind, and I need you to accept that, Edward. Tori will move on, hell, you start up with her, seeing you like her so much, and I will change into Mr Suburbia and have 2.4 kids with Bella, and get a boring job and bring home the bacon. She is moving in straight after the school year ends, and I rang Jacob, he needs barstaff at The Rabbit Warren. He has a full time position for me. No more just picking up odd shifts for money, I have to have a real job now. Health benefits, the works."

"She's not moving in on the weekend? Why not? I mean, I am glad she isn't, but why are you getting married if she is staying at home anyway?"

"Bella doesn't want her parents to know about the kid until after the wedding and she gets her grades back. You can't blame her, the way this town talks. She will probably be the top student, she needs her moment in the sun before she has to admit we have acted a little hastily, and have had to get married. I am hoping the fact I am staying back and allowing her to have her rights of passage like every other teenage girl will get me some brownie points. I bought her a dress to wear to Homecoming at Forks High. Are you going?"

I shrugged.

I never went there, but I know it's statistically one of the most likely nights to get laid, so maybe. Angela is still waiting for Ben to man up and ask her to go with him. If he doesn't hurry up, I shall be popping that cherry for him. He can have her next, when she discovers I am off to the big apple, and taking no passengers with me.

The city that never sleeps. I won't be doing a lot of sleeping myself but I will keep up the grades demanded by my father to get a free ride through college. That means I need to spend one or two nights studying, but my weekends, Friday night and a midweek night of passion with some lucky lady will all be marked clearly in my diary.

I am even considering settling down with a girlfriend, in my last year of study. I am not wasting the golden first year with me as a third year new student and all the formerly shy, over protected little virgins getting away from Mommy and Daddy at last as freshmen. They will be ripe for the picking, and I will be there, ready to pick them.

I will have my own dorm, it goes without saying, Dr Carlisle Cullen's son will get the best. I wonder if Emm is coming along as well?

Rose has the brains to be going anywhere at all on full scholarship,but she stayed close to home because her mother has been really ill for the past two years since Rose finished High School. I wonder if Emmett even wants to go to NYU? He may now he and Rosalie are so tight, he never let any girl decide things for him before but he is completely into her. I owe her, it's clearly her decision to transfer to finish her course in New York that made Carlisle consider sending us there.

James got showered and changed and I was quick to note he was wearing a shirt that Tori had bought him, and loved to see him wearing, and he grabbed the old black leather jacket that always turned her on to see him in. She even asked him to wear it while they fucked, sometimes. She was one weird chick. I was not starting anything with her after tonight when he supposedly dumped her, I am not providing a shoulder for her to cry on. Edward Cullen is not some rebound guy.

Nobody cries on my shirt all night long over some other male.

We headed out and James wanted to take his own car so I agreed and jumped in shotgun.

"This won't be easy, Edward. Tori and I have been 'something' for three years now. It won't be easy for her to just accept and move on."

"She wouldn't have to if you told Swan to take care of her own problems." I answered, looking out the window at the endless fucking green. I hate green, my eyes are green and they used to be the only green thing in my world, now they blend in with the surroundings. It's not easy being green.

"Edward, you are my best friend, man, you know that. I need you to promise me something."

"What?", I asked, half listening, wondering who Tori was bringing with her for my enjoyment. Easy was fine tonight, I was a bit down over the whole situation James was in, an easy fuck was just the answer.

"I need you to swear if anything ever happens to me, you will take care of Bella and my kid. I am serious. You have money, you could give them a decent life. I don't want her stuck at home with her parents if I get hit by a bus or something."

I turned and looked at him. We had only known each other two years, but he had saved them from being the worst two years of my life. And he took the heat for something that could have changed my life last year. I owed him. Anyway, he is young and healthy and about to settle for boring and safe, unless he dies from boredom, I am safe.

"Please, Edward? I really need you to have my back here. It's vital to me. I swear I will do my best for her, and stay away from other women, and be the best I am capable of, but I need to know there is a Plan B if I fail. And I swear, I will only fail if I die first. I plan to be the one for her, forever."

He looked so tortured and in pain.

"Sure, James. Anything happens to you, I will marry her myself and bring up your kid. Okay?"

I will definitely be keeping him far away from buses.


	2. Chapter 2 by Lynzi A Night to Remember

**Disclaimer:** All the Twilight stuff belongs to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. I'm just playing in her sandbox.

Chapter 2 By Lynzi A Night To Remember

Tori was in a great mood, and I was bummed knowing it was not going to last. What the fuck is the matter with James? She is a fantastic girl, always ready and willing to do ANYTHING for him, with him. She doesn't sleep with any other guys, people make assumptions but they wouldn't be Forkers if they didn't. They all thought she was cheap and fast but she loved James, he was her first and I'm guessing, her only. Of course she wished he felt the same for her and tonight was probably going to be the biggest shock and worst night of her life.

Just because I had known her only two years, didn't mean I didn't feel for her and wish things were different. What James saw in Bella Swan that we didn't, I just don't know, I don't get it. He spent months playing the boyfriend, taking her out to dinner, to the cinema, buying her flowers, and chocolates, and making her playlists of songs that expressed his feelings for her, all things he had never done for Tori mind you, and what had he gotten in return?

Months of chaste goodnight pecks, she didn't even allow his tongue inside her mouth let alone anywhere else more fun. He had been allowed the occasional over clothes grope of the breasts, but never been near the holy grail until the night of the Halloween party.

Mike Douchebag Newton had thought it would be funny to set up a series of practical jokes that night, as usual. Bella had never been to their parties, she was a real homebody all through High School and only this year since she started college, and met James, had she ventured out with us.

Tyler and Mike started a loud argument, designed to attract everyone's attention, then when we were all looking, Tyler threw a half assed punch, and Mike dodged and weaved and humiliated the other boy until he ran inside. A few minutes later, he returned, brandishing a 'gun' and he aimed it at Mike as all eyes watched, the girls screaming in fear. Tyler walked up to Mike and 'shot ' him at close range, and as he dramatically grabbed his chest, the small pocketknife hidden in his hand punctured the bag of fake blood inside his almost all white 'fried egg' costume, and no doubt he wore something that pathetic simply because he wanted a large expanse of white to show off the contrasting red.

He slumped to the ground and Bella Swan, naturally, ran over and grabbed at him, in a way that would have surely done him more harm than good had he really been shot.

"Mike, talk to me! Someone dial 911! Get an ambulance, call Charlie!" she screamed, and Mike winked at the rest of us as she tried to make someone do what she asked.

"Bella, Bella, it's too late, I'm dying." he cried, and moved his face closer to her anxious one as she leaned over him from where she was squatted beside him on the ground.

"Mike, don't talk, save your breath, someone call an ambulance!" she panicked as we all stood and watched and waited for the punchline.

Here it comes.

"Only a kiss from a fair maiden can save me." he sighed. "Bella, it's my dying wish, you can't refuse me." he begged and she kissed the fucker!

We all broke into applause except Eric, who looked beyond pissed.

"You owe me a hundred bucks, loser." said Mike as he jumped to his feet and went over to Eric.

"She didn't willingly kiss you, douchebag." he retorted.

"Yes, she did. I asked her to kiss me and she did. That was the bet. Hand it over."

Eric scowled and pulled out his wallet and counted out a hundred dollars and shoved it into Mike's delighted hands.

Mike handed a twenty to Tyler and the two did some ridiculous victory dance as Bella choked and spluttered and looked like she was going into shock. I stepped forward and grabbed her hands, which felt icy, and pulled her up and let her lean against me. She was shaking and incoherent and I held her against my warmth and chafed her hands in mine. Hers were so small, mine so much larger. I pulled my jacket off and put it onto her unresisting arms. I lay an arm around her shoulders to steady her, and was about to call my Dad when she was grabbed away from me.

James, who had be 'otherwise engaged' out the back, had pushed his way through the laughing crowd and pulled her into his embrace and kissed her head as his hands rubbed her back soothingly.

"It's okay, Bella, it was a joke. Mike is a moron, you know that." he assured her.

She spluttered and blushed bright red and even I felt sorry for her.

"Do you want to take her to Carlisle? I think she might be in shock, James, she needs to be looked at." I said to him.

Mike was a douche, and was always pulling stupid pranks, but this was pretty cruel, actually.

Her father had been shot once, in the line of duty, in front of Bella and her mother, and I guess this piece of stupidity had brought it all back.

"Do you need a doctor, Bells, or do you just need Dr James to look after you?" he asked.

"James, James." she uttered and clung to him like her life depended on it.

"She's okay, nothing a night home in my warm bed can't fix." he said, winking.

"James, this is serious, she could, I dunno, die or something. I think Carlisle should look at her."

"Oh Edward the mother hen. Someone get me a blanket and a hot drink for her, she will be fine."

Alice appeared and shrouded Bella's shoulders in a large picnic rug and she looked at her eyes and smiled and assured Bella she was fine.

Rose handed over a cup of green tea and Bella sat and shakily drank it, as everyone drifted off, having lost interest.

"She is okay, Edward." Alice said, her brow furrowed in perplexity at my concern.

"I may not like her, but that was insensitive and cruel...her father...remember.?" I hissed at my sister and she realized and nodded.

"I forgot."

She turned to James.

"You should take her home at least. I will personally kick Mike's ass for this, Bella."

Bella had regained a little color and I stopped panicking as Alice sat beside her and she answered all the questions my sister was craftily popping into their conversation to judge how she really was now.

James was smirking and joking with Eric about the bet, and finally he walked back and took Bella's hand, which was barely shaking now.

"Come on, sugar, we will get out of here and leave the littlies to their nursery games."

James took her to his car and drove off into the night and later told me about how much comfort she had needed.

Personally I thought he was pretty sick, taking advantage of her like that. She probably would have let even me fuck her that night, she was so disturbed, and God knows I was very bottom of her list.

So Fate had come back and bit him on the ass, and now he had to pay with the rest of his life for his callous treatment of her that night. And he could have been responsible and used a rubber, I acknowledged. It was not all her fault really, in fact, it was probably almost fully James' doing. I couldn't see Bella suddenly deciding that night was the perfect night to have her cherry popped. More likely she just had so much need of James' arms around her, that she went along with whatever he started.

And now Tori was about to pay the price as well. She introduced me to her friend, Charlotte, and I already knew I would not be racing this girl off for a quick fuck, I wanted to be there when Tori melted down, she would need Charlotte a lot more than I did.

James was quiet and kept looking at Tori with such sadness and indecision, I almost felt sorry for him. He had to do this, or he had to let Bella down and walk away from her, there was no longer the option of keeping them both.

Tori lost and a few hours later as we sat in a cinema and watched some pointless chickflick, I heard Tori sob and run out.

"You need to go to her." I told Charlotte and she looked uncertainly at me.

"James got his other girlfriend pregnant, he is getting married on Saturday." I quickly explained. Charlotte walked quickly out, after Tori , and I moved to the empty seat beside James.

"How did she take it?" I asked.

"Really well, Edward, I think I just made her day, tossing her away for Bella. Shit, I feel like such a bastard. Let's get out of here."

We drove to the carpark on the cliffs overlooking LaPush Beach and James pulled out of bottle of Stoli and drank deeply from it, then handed it to me.

"One of us has to drive home." I reminded him.

"Nah, I say we crash at Jake's. He won't care." he answered. We had done it before, I don't think his father Billy was very impressed when we rolled up drunk and took over his sitting room couches, but he never refused us so it seemed like a solution, and we passed the bottle back and forth. I told James how I was going to NYU after all, and he told me how much he was going to miss Tori, in every way. He was so disturbed,I had to ask one last time.

"Are you sure you are making the right choice? You can still be there for Bella without marrying her. Just pay your child support and spend every second weekend with the kid. Your father was absent, you never knew him, it doesn't have to be all or none. Are you sure she didn't intend getting knocked up?"

"No way. It was all me, Edward. I took her home to bed and at first, I was just being the good boyfriend, soothing her, rubbing my hands all over her body, holding her close then I lay behind her while she slept and things just got the better of me. She smells so...like a flower? Like a garden, all scents and fragrances, I never smelt anyone else who smelled like that. And she is small and soft and just so beautiful, Edward. Her soul...it reaches out and touches you. I wasn't on my guard and next thing my dick is inside her and she was half asleep and I was pounding her like my life depended on it, it was overwhelming."

"She didn't try and stop you?" I asked, surprised Bella Swan would have just taken this without a fight.

"I don't know, Edward, I was lost inside my own little bubble. I got the girl I had wanted for so long and it was all I ever hoped. She didn't say 'No' or 'Stop', not that I could have by that point. Then it was done and she was crying again, but she had been all night, you know that. I told her I loved her and didn't mean our first time to be like that, and I was sorry and explained it was all my fault. She just smelt and felt too good to resist and she forgave me, and we did it again, face to face, and that was it. Next date, back to kissing and groping, though she did let me inside her bra."

"Bit late to be locking the stable door, the horse had bolted." I said.

"Yeah, but she never allowed me any more bolting, said we had to wait until we were married."

"So, she put the whole marriage idea in your head then."

"No, Edward. She got worried when she was 'late' and we bought a test and she did it at my place and it was positive. She just went really pale and I thought she was going to pass out, then she bolted and I chased her and caught her at her car. I told her I would marry her, not to worry, I would make it all okay again. She trusts me to do that, and I will. I will marry her and stay away from Tori, not that she will ever get close to me again, and we will be a family.

Did you know Bella's Mom, took off once when she was a kid? She went to school one day and came home and Renee was gone. She sat on the stoop for four hours until Charlie got home and let her inside. Renee ran off with some ball player who was travelling through town. Reckoned she just couldn't take the monotony and the green any more."

I could relate to that, but to leave your own kid behind? Not warn her or give her the choice to go with you? Esme would never leave Carlisle but if she had, she would have taken us kids, I feel sure of that. Emmett, Alice and I were her life.

"But she came back." I stated. I never knew them back then, we lived in Boston until two years ago.

"Yeah, she came back. But Bella has always been the grown up in that house. Renee is a flake, and she would be worse than useless with a baby in the house. I find it hard to believe Bella survived babyhood sometimes. She was independent much younger than she should have had to be, thanks to her mother."

He passed the bottle back and I shook my head. I had stuff to do tomorrow, well, today. It was after midnight. I didn't need a mother of a hangover to impede my efforts to catch up on all the work I had let slide.

"I think Renee would talk Bella into giving the kid up for adoption if I didn't marry her before the news gets out." he mused.

"Maybe that would be for the best." I offered. "Maybe Bella doesn't want to be an eighteen year old mother any more than you want to be a twenty two year old father."

Just as I had been accelerated and skipped a class, James had been repeated early in school, and was the oldest in our year at College, and it showed. Only my five o'clock shadow rivalled his, which was ironic seeing I was the youngest in the Sophomore year.

He nursed the bottle closely.

"There is no other solution. Bella worries me, Edward. I think she ran because she wanted to end herself, after the test."

I looked at him .

"Seriously?"

"She said she didn't wish to destroy my life and the baby's life as well as her own, which she seems to consider completely expendable. Like she would be no loss. I asked her where she was going and she said 'the cliffs.'

I think had she done the test alone at her house, we would have just heard she was found at the bottom of them and the autopsy would have revealed the pregnancy."

"That's pretty fucked up." I commented.

"Yeah, well she has a strange sense of right and wrong."

"Does she know about Tori?" I asked, out of curiosity.

"She knew I dated other girls." he answered.

"You never dated other girls. How often did you see Tori outside the bedroom?" I asked.

"Quite a bit, actually. You are not always with us when we meet."

I was surprised at that bit of news.

"Oh, okay. So, you dated her, and the other girls?"

"The one night stands? They meant nothing. They were just to ease my pain when Bella got me worked up and I wasn't going to Tori with a hard on someone else inspired."

"Noble of you." I quipped.

"Edward, I know you see me as some manwhore but I love both of my girls. Bella is just the one who needs me most. If it were Tori in trouble, I would have dumped Bella tonight and would be marrying Tori on Saturday."

"So, they are interchangeable." I suggested.

"I guess that's true." he agreed, and took another drink. "I guess it's more that I love them both, equally. I hate the whole idea of letting Tori go, it's so unfair."

"Move to Utah and marry them both." I suggested.

"I would, in a heartbeat, if I thought they would do that. Edward, how am I going to live without her? I love my Tori so much."

Time to take away the bottle. I grabbed it but it was empty anyway. I hoped his liver didn't give out, I had only consumed a half dozen mouthfuls, and he had drunk the rest. That was a lot of vodka for one digestive system to cope with.

He started crying, and wailing loudly, calling to Tori, saying he was so sorry.

"I made the wrong choice, I should have chosen her." then he did another turn about and started wailing about his Bella.

"She needth me, Edward, she would never cope alone. She has to be my priollity, Pri-or-itity Pry..or...it..teesh." His words were letting him down, he was seriously drunk.

I opened the door and walked towards the edge of the cliff. As much to clear my head as to get away from James' loud lamenting.

Would Bella have really seen this as the answer?

I couldn't imagine ever being that desperate.

I sat on the edge and James started singing in the car, songs of pain and loss as he said his own goodbyes to the love that could never be, his sweet Tori. He was giving me whiplash as he ricocheted back and forth between his girls.

I lay down and fell asleep, my legs still hanging over the side, above the waves that crashed below.

Morning and I awoke abruptly as someone pulled my knitted cap from my head and ruffled my hair.

"Good morning Edward. Why didn't you come to the house? My sofa may be old but it has to be more comfortable than this cliff." Jake snickered, pulling my cap over his own head. His hair was so long and black and shiny. I seriously envied his hair, I wish I had hair like that, instead of this copper ratsnest that never looks any better if I washed and combed and gelled it, or not.

If I were a girl, I would seriously fancy Jacob Black. He was tall, and muscle bound, and had the whitest teeth in the world. His russet skin was kind of beautiful. And he had a great personality.

Always upbeat and happy. He was two years older than me, and was managing his own bar already. He made a little money with his computer savviness then took the money and ran when Microsoft became aware of his website and advanced knowledge and skills, and offered to buy him out. He knew there were too many young kids coming up with sites like his, so he knew when to fold and sell, and it bought him a bar with his own apartment above, but he often came back and slept at Billy's, just so his father wasn't always alone.

"We did intend coming over to yours." I admitted, sitting up with a groan as my back protested about it's sleeping place.

"We? Did your girlfriend run away?" he asked, looking around.

"James is asleep in the car." I answered, and stood up, stretching and groaning.

"Nope, not in this car." Jake answered, opening all four doors and the trunk even, like James would have been inside that.

"Shit." I exclaimed. Where the fuck had he gone?

"He didn't knock on your door, you are sure?" I asked Jake.

His was the only house near the cliffs, it was quite a walk to the other houses on the Res, and James was past being able to go for long strolls after how much he had consumed.

Jake prowled around, and suddenly halted.

"Don't panic but I think I just found him."

He stood at the very edge and was looking downwards.

I walked to his side and stared at the rumpled, broken figure below, caught on the rocks.

I guess he doesn't have to choose, now. The water washed over him, and he only moved with the tide, he made no attempt to raise his head above the water.

I grabbed my hair and tugged it furiously. I should have stayed awake, I should have locked him in the car or something. This was my fault. He was drunk, I was pretty much sober.

"We have to get to him, try CPR, I know how to do that." I yelled at Jake, who had calmly pulled out his cellphone and was talking into it.

"Too late, Edward. To be washed up there, he has been in the water for hours. The tide has turned and dumped him on that ledge, he couldn't have fallen onto it from here, look."

I didn't want him to be right, but it was the only explanation. I had slept while my best friend had either fallen, or jumped, off the cliff, feet from where I lay. We were just lucky the tide had turned and brought his body back into shore, or we would have never known the truth.

I would have cursed him for running off and not letting me help, not accepting my offer to go stay at Denali.

This was proof only that I was a bad friend, the worst type of friend. Whether he fell or jumped, either way, I let it happen.

The rescue squad truck pulled up beside James' car and two of the four Quileute's from it walked over and looked down.

"Harness, I'll go down, the rest of you pull him up, then me. And no walking off and forgetting me once you recover the body." Sam joked.

I guess humor keeps them going, when their lives are all about bodies and being too late.

They set up the harnesses and he climbed into one and guided the other over the side with him, and we watched him strap the ragdoll in James' clothing inside, and he jerked on the rope and raised a thumb.

"Got him, Sam." yelled one of the others and James' body slowly rose and I helped grab it back onto dry land. Too late, far too late. He looked cold, pale, like he was made of wax, his lips and face were blue.

They lay him down and pulled Sam back up then the ambulance pulled over and James' was taken away while I stood there uselessly and watched.

"He got family, a wife? Parents?" asked Sam.

"No, he never knew who his dad was, and his Mom died last year." I answered. Her insurance had paid for his apartment. The polie cruiser pulled in as the ambulance prepared to leave and Charlie Swan approached us, having looked over the body and told them to go.

"What happened? Accident?" he asked.

"Looks that way, Charlie." Jacob answered.

"Edward here was with James, they were having a few drinks and Edward fell asleep and I found them both here this morning, him asleep on the clifftop, James in the water below. Edward never had any idea what happened."

Charlie looked at me, his face a mixture of sympathy and skepticism.

"I'm going to need a statement from you both. Later. Go home, get a shower and some coffee, you look shocky. This his car?"

"Yeah." I answered.

"I need it left here for now. Can you take him home, Jake?"

"No problem. Come on, Edward."

He led the way to his garage and opened it and I climbed inside his car and lay my head back against the headrest.

Shit.

Someone had to tell Bella, and Tori, before they heard on the radio or the grapevine. I was pretty sure Bella's entire romance with James must have gone undetected by the chief or he would have made an effort to kill it ages ago. I didn't want her hearing it coldly from his lips, as he would have no reason to tread carefully.

"Take me to Bella's first, please. I need to tell her."

Jake nodded, he knew the entire situation, and he took me there without a word of protest. We sat outside her house and I gathered my courage and walked beside Jake as we approached the front door.

Bella opened the door and stood gaping at us.

"What?" she cried, as we both failed to make eye contact with her.

"Can we come in for a minute, Bells?" asked Jacob.

She stood back and her eyes flashed from my face to his and back again.

"What's happened? Is it Charlie?"

"No, Bells, Charlie is fine." Jake answered.

She sat on the very edge of her couch and I sat beside her.

"There's been an accident. James.." I started and she looked at me with such desperation, I stopped.

"No." she said, her head shaking back and forth.

Jacob pulled her onto his lap and held her like a child.

"He is gone, Bella. He fell off the cliff at LaPush in the night. He had been drinking, I'm sure he just didn't see the edge." Jake explained.

"Were you there?" she snarled at me.

I nodded my head.

"You let him fall off a cliff." she stated.

"Edward was asleep. James was an adult, Edward could not be expected to hold his hand." Jake pointed out.

"And now he is dead and I have no father for my baby." she said and Jake jerked his head up and looked at me.

I nodded.

Shit.

"I guess I may as well join him." she said, standing up, pulling herself free of Jake's arms.

"Bells, don't be stupid. Leah and I will be here to help." Jake said, reminding her of his new wife.

"No, you two have your own baby coming. I will just be in the way." she cried out.

"Rubbish, Bells, what's one more screaming baby in a house with twins and a new baby on the way."

Jake and Leah became early parents a year ago when Rachel and Rebecca Black arrived, ahead of the wedding. Now they were hoping for a son to round off their family.

Jake understood better than most, that babies decide when they will be entering our lives, whether we are ready or not. He and Leah coped though, I had never heard him complain. He adored his daughters and had big plans for his son.

"Let me go, Jake." she said again, and searched for her keys to her battered, old rusty truck.

"You are going nowhere, Bells." Jake said, holding one of her hands firmly.

"I can't do this alone." she shrieked at him, tears pouring down her face.

"I will marry you." I said, my voice sounding foreign to my own ears.

"I promised James. If anything happened to him, I would marry you and help you raise the baby." I stated.

"You? Why would I marry you? You and I...we don't even get along. You don't even say 'Hi' to me when you see me with James. You act like I don't exist."

"I will marry you and that's all there is to it. You need a husband and a father for James' baby. I promised to be there for you, it was my last promise to James."

"Are you even twenty one?" she asked, like it was a legal requirement. It wasn't, I could have married at eighteen.

"I will be, in eleven days." I answered.

"That's way too young. I can't marry you. I can take care of myself." she stated.

Yeah, off a cliff into the water below is your answer.

I walked closer and held out my hand and took hers, and kissed her cold knuckles.

"Please wait before you make any decisions. I will postpone the booking at the Registry office and put in my own details instead of James' and we can marry in 2 weeks time. I will be financially independent then." I promised her.

Nobody else dies on my watch.

"Edward, this is absurd. You are twenty years old, your parents will never allow it."

"I am almost twenty one and I don't need their permission, and you were doing it in secret anyway. We can just do what you and James had planned . Just two weeks later. Promise me you won't do anything until then? If you find a better solution, fine, but you have to discuss it with me, or Jake. Okay? Promise."

"I promise."

"Jake became a father at twenty one and you couldn't find a better father for those twins. And Leah is your age. She has two kids more than you already. We can handle this."

Bella promised to speak to us before making any decisions and two weeks later we stood side by side and promised to love each other forever.

Which was going to be tricky, seeing as how we hated each other and were both doing this only because it was what James wanted.


	3. Chapter 3  Married

**Disclaimer:** All the Twilight stuff belongs to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. I'm just playing in her sandbox.

**Chapter 3 Married**

**EPOV**

Married.

Twenty one years old and fucking married with a kid on the way.

Fuck me.

Friday night.

What the hell am I supposed to do with that. I haven't gotten any in a week. I'm Edward fucking Cullen, after all and I don't GO a week without. da dum de dum

Shit, where did I put the damned phone anyway. Why the hell did I give her a special ring tone? Guess I just wanted to know in advance if she called. I just don't like surprises, like seeing the caller id flashing wife isn't enough of a jolt to me each time anyway.

"Cullen"

"Hi Edward, it's Bella", she says to me, like I didn't already know that. What, I'm a motherfucking idiot and don't know the sound of my own wife's voice?

"Got it, I know your voice, wife. What's up?", I said pleasantly.

"I just wondered if you wanted me to leave you a ticket to come to graduation tomorrow, I don't know, Edward, this is all so confusing. I just don't know how you expect me to act or what to do. I don't want to hurt your feelings by not doing something, but I don't want you to think I expect things from you either. I'm just asking in case you want to come, that's all."

Fuck me. I had gotten the invitation, it was somewhere around here, but what the fuck would I want to go to the damn graduation for? Shit, James would have gone to be with her.

"How about you leave me one just in case.", I quickly through out there, not knowing exactly what to say. "Do you want me to come?", I asked hoping she didn't give a shit either way and I could get out of this. I was planning on having one hell of a hangover by morning, anyway and that shit was in the am.

"It's up to you, I'm giving the speech and all and my whole family will be there. No one knows about any of this, so I guess it doesn't matter. If you come, I can introduce you to some of them so at least they would have a name and a face. I suppose one day they will know who you are since you insist on sticking around, right?"

"One day they will know alright, you can't hide that basketball forever." Shit. "Hey, I'm getting a call, talk to you later, okaya? Bye."

"Cullen"

"Oh hi, Tori, I been meaning to call and check on you. Okay okay, stop crying, damn, all right, I'm on my way over."

I put the phone and grabbed my jacket. This shit just gets better and better.

"Hi, Mom, Dad. Bye", I called to them on my way out the door. They looked like they were just getting ready to go out to dinner or something.

"Edward", my father called, "can we speak to you for a minute, son?"

I turned and headed back to the kitchen where they were. My dad was leaning against the counter, my Mom getting her purse.

"Yea Dad", I answered, "I was just headed over to see Tori."

"Edward, your Mom and I received you grades from this semester in the mail. Well done son!"

"We are so proud of you", said my Mom as she leaned in to kiss my cheek.

"I sent in your application to transfer to New York University several months ago, hoping you would pull it off and you have. Congratulations, son, you're enrolled in NYU for the fall semester."

"I don't know what to say . . . thanks. Thanks for believing I could do it, Dad. I . . . I just don't know what to say. You know I want to go", I hugged them both and turned to head out.

"Oh and Edward, don't forget to go by Jenk's office on Monday and sign the paperwork for your grandparents estate. He wants to go over some investment ideas with you as well."

Invest, yea right. Though I guess I do need to think about that shit now that I have a kid on the way. I promised James I'd be a good Dad, good Dads provide for their kid. That promise to James is going to change lots of things.

Not tonight. It's Friday and I already have to stop by and see about Tori. I hate tears and I knew that was all this was going to be. I couldn't start anything with Tori even though James had suggested it. She is the hottest fuck around, James swore by that and he had her while he was dating Bella.

No, Cullen, no. James suggested that I take up with Tori when he thought he would be with Bella. He broke it off with Tori to marry Bella. Now that I was married to her, he would expect me to be a good husband or some such shit like that. Help raise his kid, I could do that, right, be a good husband? Why the hell did I promise that anyway. I guess I hadn't thought it out. No other women, right? Shit. How could I do that? Bella doesn't even like me, she could probably care less if I was with anyone else. She doesn't give me the time of day. Well, she had called to include me in her graduation. I guess she thought she was being considerate, at least that is what she said. She did complain that I was the one that never even said hello to her though . . . shit. I definitely need to talk to her and see what she expects of me. I have to have women, right?

Tori was in tears just like I thought. We sat on the sofa and I let her cry onto my shirt for what seemed like hours. She clung to me like she was drowning while she sobbed, never saying what it was about, she just kept sobbing. I have never seen anyone so upset that they threw up . . . but she did. Luckily, it was all over the long hoodie she was wearing. I took the hoodie off her and carried her to her room. She clung to me for dear life, I had a hell of a time just getting loose long enough to get her a wash cloth and clean her face and hands. I just held her. She smelled so good in spite of everything and she was so soft and so clingy. Anyway, holding her was the only thing that seemed to help, she couldn't talk and I wasn't good with words to make people feel better. It was getting late and there is only so much crying a man can stand, so I leaned away, pulled her blanket up over her and tried to stand to leave. She grabbed my jacket so hard I all but fell over, landing on her. She had her arms around me and kissing my neck before I knew what happened. Not that I minded, she was hot after all. I told her she needed to get some sleep, but she pulled me closer against her. I know she could feel how hard I was, like I said, she was really hot and all and she just kept kissing me and running her hands down my side to my butt. With all the attention I was getting, I now had a raging hard on and I started kissing her back. Hard. Thoughts of what James said about him comforting Bella that night and it getting out of hand flooded my mind.

God. I can't do this.

I had to go. I tried to sooth her with words and tell her it would be okay, kissed her forehead and extradited myself from her arms. I pulled her blanket up and said goodnight. Damn. What the hell was wrong with me? I so could have had her and it had been over a week! I adjusted myself and made my way home, not even stopping for a drink.

Emmett and Rose were sitting in the living room when I got home playing video games.

"Dude, you're home on a Friday night", he exclaimed excitedly, "Come play with us!"

Video games with Emmett was always a riot. He was always so happy and so good natured. He seemed to enjoy whatever he happened to be doing at the moment, like it was his favorite damned thing on the planet to be doing at that exact moment. I envied him.

"Hey, Em, did Dad tell you he enrolled me in NYU for the fall semester?", I said.

"Dude, that's awesome! I knew you could do it. Dad told me about the deal he had with you. Way to Go!"

I high fived him as I stood to go upstairs. he had won the last 5 games and that was enough Grand Theft Auto for me. "Hey Edward, what the hell are you doing home on a Friday night, anyway?", he called our after me.

I didn't answer. I didn't have an answer.

I undressed and crawled into bed alone. As I drifted to sleep I thought back to last Saturday morning and the wedding. I guess I never noticed before just how pretty Bella was. Stunning, actually. Thick shiny long hair with just a few curls, beautiful chocolate brown eyes you could just fall into. Looking at them and telling her that I promised to love and cherish her till death do we part just fucking made me come unglued. I don't know, it just did something to me, like it was my whole goal in life and more important than anything else. Who would have thought the Cullen could feel that way about a girl? A girl that I had never taken any notice of . . . a girl that doesn't even like me.

She was so tiny. She probably weighed a hundred pounds or less and she had boobs, man, I had never noticed those before but the dress she wore was a creamy white with a low neckline and high waist that just made me really take notice of them. She was fucking hot! Why had I never noticed that before? She was so surprised when I placed not only the wedding band, but an engagement ring with a diamond in it on her finger and handed her the wedding band for her to place on mine. Guess she thought I wouldn't think of that.

She was wrong.

I do things balls out if I am going to do them at all, that's a fact and I had promised James I would be a good husband and father. They pronounced us man and wife and told me I could kiss my bride, so I did. I leaned in just to give her a peck on the lips and you would have thought I had been shocked. It was amazing. So soft and warm and I don't know - I don't do soft, but it was just fucking amazing. Huh, who would have guessed that I would feel that way. I had some serious fucking kisses in my day and this was just a little chaste peck on the lips, but it so did me in.

Keeping my word was not going to be as hard as I thought.

What the . . . jeez. I never noticed how bright it was in here in the mornings. I rolled over and looked at the clock. That's why. I am always up before now to get to classes during the week and on the weekends, I never wake up before afternoon. By then the sun is on the other side of the house, not streaming in the damned window. Shit, 9AM. What the hell am I supposed to do at 9AM? I pulled a pillow over my face and rolled over. There on the night stand was the invitation to graduation. Bella's graduation. I had knocked it off the table and onto the bed when I reached to see the time. I never noticed before. The return address was from Bella, not Isabella Swan, all formal like I knew these things were. Shit, I guess she felt funny addressing something to her damned husband and referring to herself as Swan when we both knew it was Isabella Cullen now. Great, I was up anyway, I might as well go to the damned graduation and meet her folks. I had two hours, plenty of time for a shower and breakfast. I was sure I would shock the shit out of my family by showing up all fresh and dressed on a Saturday morning. Wonder what they all do on their Saturdays anyway? I couldn't tell you. Guess I would see, I mused as I got into the shower.

I headed downstairs and into the kitchen. You could have pushed my family over with a feather.

"Edward, good morning!"

My Dad smiled holding his coffee and the paper at the kitchen counter. Mom asked me if I was hungry as she was cooking eggs and bacon, which smelled really good. I actually didn't mind sitting and talking with them over breakfast. I could even get used to this.

"So why are you up so early?", my Mom asked.

"Just happened to wake up early and remembered graduation at the high school today, some friends are graduating and I thought I'd go," my Mom looked astounded. I quickly turned, kissed her cheek and headed for the door, leaving my parents looking at each other like they had just seen a ghost.

I stood at the back during graduation. Bella made the valedictorian speech and said things about integrity and loyalty and trust in God. I actually listened. I could not take my eyes off her lips and her soft brown curls, even if she was wearing the hideous gold robe and cap. I found her in the midst of the crowd, standing with her Dad and a large group of people, hat and robe in hand. She was wearing that same cream colored dress that she had worn to out wedding last weekend. I was hoping I wasn't drooling when I walked up and said hello to her.

"Edward," she exclaimed as I took her hand. "Dad, everyone, I'd like you to meet Edward."

"Hello, Edward", my Dad said as he reached out to shake my hand, " I believe we met a few weeks ago in La Push".

"Yes Sir", I said, "Nice to meet you at a happier occasion. You must be very proud of your daughter".

"I sure am! Bells will be heading off to college here soon and I'll be loosing my little girl, she'll be all grown up. Bella fidgeted nervously as he said that shit. If he only knew, I guess it was good that he didn't. Bella was right, let him have his day of being all proud of her before he found out what had happened.

"Hello, Edward," Bella's Mom said, staring at my left hand still holding Bella's, "Bella hasn't mentioned you to me, are you new in town?"

"No, Mrs. Swan, I am Dr. Cullen's son, we have been here for a few years now. I'm at the Community College in Port Angeles." She eyed me suspiciously. Bella had said that her Mom noticed things that her Dad didn't and she would be hard to fool.

"Well, lets all go for lunch, shall we? "Edward, would you like to join us?", said the Chief. Bella looked at me and I could see the uneasiness creeping into her face, we hadn't planned out our stories to our parents yet so I said, "Thank you, but I can't. I just wanted to hear Bella's speech and say hello. Nice to meet you Mrs. Swan, Chief. Bells, I'll see you later". With that I kissed her on the cheek, turned and left. I hope I had made a good impression, I think Bella was pleased but I guessed I'd hear about that later. Her parents were going to hear a lot about me soon enough. I wondered if she would tell them about James or just say the baby was mine.

I kind of thought Bella would call me later that afternoon to tell me how it went but I didn't hear from her. I went out to La Push to hang out with Jake. We sat on the cliff and talked about getting alcohol, but we just sat and talked, remembering things we had done and adventures we had with James. Crazy bastard. It seemed like we had both tamed our drinking down since Jame's death. Figures, right!

"How's Bella doing?", Jake asked, "I have been keeping an eye out around here in case she tried to follow Jake over the cliff. I know she said she would try the marriage thing, but you never know with girls."

"I have called her everyday to check on her, she seems okay, just the same everyday."

"Everyday? You're taking this seriously dude! When I called her she said you had been being nice to her, almost like you gave a shit."

"Jake, I _married_ her. I may be a shit 'cause I like playing women and getting off with the ones that start out saying no to me, but I fucking promised to be there for her and be faithful. I promised James and now I promised her."

"Yea, that's right. I know that's the right thing. It's just, you don't even like her, Edward."

"I like her. I like her just fine. In fact, she is actually really pretty if you stop and just look at her."

"I guess so."

"And she's been staying out of my hair and not demanding anything from me."

"That's something, I suppose."

"In face, her graduation was this morning. She called yesterday to ask if I wanted to come. She didn't ask me to or to go with her or anything, she just asked if I wanted a ticket, then let it go. No demands, nothing. She gets off the phone with me so quickly, I don't think she likes me at all, even now. She sure doesn't seem to expect anything from me."

"How's that going to work, she's your wife and she hates you?"

"Jake, I have no idea. I don't hate her, though. I'm starting to think James had it right all along and she is really something special. I just . . . I don't know. I feel something even when I just talk to her on the phone, some kind of connection, like electricity or something. I _want_ to get to know her, take her out on a date. She keeps talking about imposing on my life and she doesn't know if she can really do that and she doesn't know what we are going to do after graduation. I'm going to talk to her about my plans this week."

"Good luck with that. Are you going to get an apartment together?",

"I got accepted to NYU and Carlisle is paying for it, so I have to talk to her about moving to New York in the fall, or sooner."

"Dude, if she moves to New York with you, you can wait to explain about her being pregnant. No one has to know yet!"

"Yea, but they will all have to know soon enough, we can't hide the kid forever and how do I know if she will even move with me, maybe she didn't even apply to NYU."

It was getting late and we headed back to Jake's house to watch some tv and probably crash there, the alcohol all but forgotten.

We had almost reached his door when my phone rang, da dum de dum. Jake laughed so hard I thought he would roll on the floor when he heard that and saw the caller id flashing wife. I punched his shoulder slid my thumb to answer the phone. It was on speaker and we both froze. There were sounds of Bella screaming and sounds of a struggle.

**EPOV**

There were sounds of Bella screaming and sounds of a struggle.

"Where the hell is she?", I said, "I have no fucking clue! Why the hell did she call me instead of her Dad . . . unless she's somewhere she isn't supposed to be."

"Hold on", said Jake disappearing into his house. He was back in a flash with his jacket, grabbing my shoulder and heading for my car. "Leah says there is a big graduation party in town, head there while call the Chief and see if she is at home".

"Hello, Chief? This is Jake, is Bella there? Did she say where she was going? Thanks."

"She went to a graduation party at Jessica Stanley's house. Call her cell phone and see if she answers. Something is going on she doesn't want her Dad to know about."

Bella didn't answer her phone, it just went to voice mail and so did Jessica's.

Angela answered her cell. "Angela, hi this is Edward. Have you seen Bella in the last few minutes?"

"Edward, Bella was just with me here at Jessica's, I think she went out back for some fresh air, some of the kids are drinking and she wanted to go home. Is something wrong?"

"Yes, I'll be there in a minute. Would you please look for her and have her call me?"

**BPOV**

"I just don't know what to do, Jake. How am I supposed to even treat him. He's being way more considerate than I imagined he would, you should see the engagement ring he bought me! I can't even imagine how he afforded all that money or why he would spend it on me. He doesn't even like me!"

"He likes you just fine. Edward is a little rough around the edges, but he is one of the best guys I know. James knew that too. He will be there for you and the baby. I have never known him not to follow through when he said he would do something", Jake reassured me, "You can count on him, Bella and he will be good with you and with the baby."

I remembered out conversation from this morning as I sat in my room thinking about the graduation tomorrow. I should call and see if Edward was coming. I wouldn't want to hurt his feelings by not leaving him a ticket if he was planning on being there for me.

Graduation went well, my parents were thrilled. It was like I had hoped. They were really proud of me, my Dad was beaming he was so proud. I was right to have waited to tell them about the baby and Edward.

"Edward," I sputtered, as he took my hand. "Dad, everyone, I'd like you to meet Edward."

"Hello, Edward", my Dad said as he reached out to shake hands with the boy who was now my husband, "I believe we met a few weeks ago in La Push". Oh God, I had forgotten about that. He had taken a statement from Edward because he was the one with James the night he . . . fell. That was not something I wanted my Dad to associate Edward with . . . not the accident!

"Yes Sir ", he said, "Nice to meet you at a happier occasion. You must be very proud of your daughter". Wow, he handled that well, only a small wince at the memory of that night. They both ignored the pained expression that crossed my face at the memory.

"I sure am! Bells will be heading off to college here soon and I'll be loosing my little girl, she'll be all grown up! I fidgited nervously again as he said that, hoping it wouldn't be noticed. Especially by my Mom. She was quite intuitive about people's feelings, even mine.

"Hello, Edward," my Mom said, staring at his hand still holding mine, "Bella hasn't mentioned you to me. Are you new in town?"

"No, Mrs. Swan, I am Dr. Cullen's son, we have been here for a few years now. I'm at the Community College in Port Angeles." She eyed him suspiciously. There would be questions to answer later about this new boyfriend. She would know he was a boyfriend. James had only held my hand in front of my parents when we were together.

"Well, lets all go for lunch, shall we? Edward, would you like to join us?, Dad asked. Edward looked to me for some idea of what to say, but he handled it amazingly by saying, "Thank you, but I can't. I just wanted to hear Bella's speech and say hello. Nice to meet you Mrs. Swan, Chief. Bells, I'll see you later". He kissed me on the cheek, turned and left.

"Bella, that was a very handsome young man! Why haven't I heard about him before now?", my Mom asked me. I didn't have an answer . . .

"I don't know, Mom, he had been there for me since the accident. He and James were best friends and I think now he kind of likes me."

"I think you're right", she said as we made our way to the car, "He likes you at the very least."

Lunch dragged on, my parents finally finished chatting with what seemed like everyone in the restaurant. Forks was a really small town and it seemed almost everyone with a child that graduated today had the same idea to take them out to lunch!

Finally at home, Angela called. She would be over in an hour and we could start getting ready for the party tonight at Jessica's. I still didn't understand why we would need 3 hours to get ready, but Angela was always fun and I knew it would lighten my mood to play carefree teenager just graduating from high school for a little longer . . . before I had to talk to my parents and become poor little married knocked up teenager with what they surly would think would be no future.

Angela had a new outfit for the party, a really frilly low cut blouse that made her figure stand out, even tucked into jeans. She insisted that I wear makeup and set about 'doing my face' for me. I suppose it was alright, it wasn't like I was out to attract any boys at the party or anything. I wondered if I could risk telling Angela about the baby. I had told no one and I really needed to talk.

Any thought about telling Angela disappeared when my Mom decided to join our little getting ready party. She loved to act like she was still a kid sometimes to the point it was embarrassing. She so ran on her emotions. Being responsible and acting mature were not her strong suits. We were almost ready to go, anyway, and decided that a stop at the local burger joint on the way was a good way of killing time and excusing ourselves from hanging out with my mom.

Jessica lived in a large house in a relatively new neighborhood that had sprung up over by the warehouses on the South side of town. It was an unlikely place for such nice homes, but dad had said he thought it might start to turn the area around and bring back some of the businesses in the area. We were careful to park near her house, at any rate.

The party was huge. It seemed everyone in town was there. Music, food and kids dancing were all around us. As I went to get some punch, Mike Newton approached me. He was an annoying guy that had always been just a little too helpful, a little too friendly. He put his arm over my shoulder placing his hand on the wall behind me, effetively trapping me in front of him. Not good. He had been drinking.

"Why don't you like me, Bella?", he said as he leaned toward me, grazing his nose along my cheek.

"I like you just fine, Mike. Let's go get something to drink, okay?", I asked to try and get him to move aside.

"I think you should be friendlier to me, now that we have graduated. I won't get to see you as much. How about a kiss?", he said as he grabbed my waist with his free hand and brought his lips to mine.

"No, Mike!", I said as i shoved him away. I had to get out of there. I ran out the side door and just kept running, though I thought his footsteps were no longer following me. I guess I lost my direction as I approached some buildings that I didn't recognize. I thought of going back, but my face was stained with tears and I just couldn't answer the questions that I knew would be waiting for me there if anyone saw me. It wasn't that far home. I could call my Dad to get me, but I would have to answer all the questions then anyway once he saw my face and I didn't want him confronting Mike and causing any of this night to be brought up again. I could call Edward. He wouldn't mind, just this once. It wasn't like I bothered him or anything and he had been so nice this morning. Truth is, I wanted to talk to him anyway. Admit it, Bella, you just want to see him. You like him way more than you are willing to admit!

I rounded the corner of a building, still fumbling for my phone. I had just brought up Edwards name on the phone when I saw a group of guys kind of standing around in the alley. They were drinking and smoking and the alley was filled with their loud laughter. I must have been really absorbed in thinking about Edward to not have even heard them, till now. I turned around quickly and pressed send to connect to Edward, hoping he would answer.

**EPOV**

"Yes, I'll be there in a minute. Would you please look for her and have her call me? Thanks."

We were almost to Jessica's neighborhood, passing some old abandoned buildings when I noticed a small group of people to the rear of a parking lot. I would not have seen them except for the reflection of a street light off one of their glasses and the loud laughter coming from their way. Something told me to turn in and when I did and shined the headlights Jake and I got out of the car. They scattered, seeing the size of Jake and our hearts dropped. As they ran away, they had let go of a small girl that they had in the center of the group.

It was Bella.

She was clutching her wrist, her lip was bleeding, her eye swollen, her clothes were torn and she was crying. God no. I scooped her up and Jake opened the rear door as I gently got in holding her. Jake jumped in the drivers seat and headed to the hospital. I grabbed my phone to call my Dad. I knew he was on call at the hospital and would meet us in emergency. We arrived in no time. Jake opened the car door and I stepped out carrying her in, following my Dad to one of the examination rooms. I gently put her down and tried to release the grip she had on my jacket with her good hand. Her left had stayed cradled to her chest. "Bella, sweetheart", I spoke softly to her as she looked at me with wild eyes, "It's okay. You're safe. My Dad is going to take care of you, okay? I'll be right outside. I won't leave, you're okay. Jake and I are here."

My Dad looked at me incredulously as I left the room and his attention turned to Bella. It seemed like forever that we waited. Jake called the Chief and he was there, waiting with us in no time. I explained what had happened and he thanked us profusely for going to her aid, not even yelling at us for the speeding that we had described to him. He asked at the desk and tried to stick his nose in the exam room, but my Dad told him that she would be okay, and that he would be out soon. There was nothing to do but wait.

When Dad finally emerged from treating Bella, he walked toward the three of us. "Charlie, she's alright. She has some cuts and bruises and a broken wrist, but other than that she is fine. It seems these boys got to her before anything else happened."

"Thank God!" exclaimed Charlie. "Can I see her?"

"Yes, she's asking for Edward right now, then you can go in one at a time, okay?

Charlie looked at me like he just didn't know what to say and my Dad frowned but showed me to her room. I slowly entered and saw her awake and sitting on the table with a cast being applied to her arm. Dad checked the cast and told her he would be right back with a prescription. As I walked over to her she held out her hand to me. I took it and put my arm around her to hug her. Her eye was swollen shut now and her lip was swollen. She was a mess, but at least she had stopped crying.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there when you needed me, Bella. We came as soon as we figured out where you might be."

"Thank you", she said. "It's okay. You came and found me. I was so scared, I didn't know what to do, I was just calling you to see if you would come and pick me up when I ran into those guys . . . I guess I dropped the phone. I'm so glad you came, Edward."

"Your Dad took good care of me. Edward, my blood work told him I was pregnant. He can't tell or discuss it with anyone, but he knows. He's writing a pain prescription that won't hurt the baby and a prescription for prenatal vitamins."

Just the my Dad returned. He handed Bella prescriptions and turned to write something down. She quickly handed me the vitamin prescription to put in my pocket, I'm sure so her Dad would not see it. I told her I would wait outside and went to get the Chief.

My father came out of the exam room and over to where I was standing. He put his hand on my shoulder and looked me in the eye and said, "Edward, I saw her give you the vitamin prescription. Is there anything you want to tell me, son?"

"No, Dad, but thanks for taking care of her".

Just then Charlie came from Bella's room holding the door open while the nurse pushed her towards the exit in the wheelchair. Jake held the outside door and I followed them to the car. Charlie opened his passenger door and I stepped forward and lifted her out of the wheelchair and put her into the car, shutting the door.

"We'll see you at the house", I said, as Jake and I headed for my car, giving the Chief no time to protest.

We arrived at the house just as the Chief pulled in the driveway. I opened Bella's door and asked her for her pain prescription, giving it to Jake who headed off in my car to fill it. Charlie starred at me incredulously like I was a vampire out of a magazine and just as unwelcome as I lifted Bella and cradled her into my arms, her head on my shoulder and headed for the house. Charlie rushed to open the front door and without missing a beat, I headed up the stairs to carry her to her room.

I put her on her bed and kissed her cheek, covering her with the blanket at the foot of the bed after I removed her shoes. I stroked her hair and she quietly whispered something to me, I think she said thank you. I left and went downstairs to wait for Jake and . . . to face Charlie.

Charlie was beside himself.

"Son, I can't decide if I should hug you for rescuing her or demand to know what the hell is going on between the two of you, or both!" he exclaimed. "You obviously care for each other, yet I have never heard one thing about you till this morning at graduation. Talk!", he said facing me and folding his arms.

Shit. I had no idea what the hell Bella would want me to say. He would eventually find out about me and I did not want him to think me a lier, so decided on a form of the truth.

"I have been seeing your daughter the last few weeks and talking with her on the phone almost daily. I care for her, Chief."

Thank God Jake walked in just then, handing the Chief Bella's prescription.

"Well, it's late. We better get going".

We both said goodnight and headed to my car. Fuck me what a day. It just keeps getting better.

Jake looked at me once we were in the car and said, "Edward, what's up man? I think you're falling for her."

"She's my wife, Jake. What did you expect?"


	4. Chapter 4  New York

**Disclaimer:** All the Twilight stuff belongs to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. I'm just playing in her sandbox.

**Chapter 4 New York **

**EPOV**

Lets see, what is close to campus. Hum,

**#25 Fifth Avenue 11th floor $1,750,000 2 bedroom 924 sq ft **

_One of the finest pre-war luxury condominiums on Greenwich Village's lower Fifth Avenue, 25 Fifth mixes classic pre-war design elements with modern Manhattan condo amenities in each apartment for sale. Just north of Washington Square in Greenwich Village, the landscaped garden entrance of 25 Fifth Avenue is every bit as welcoming as the pre-war condos for sale, and adding stunning contemporary amenities to that mix of Manhattan modernity and classic pre-war elegance makes 25 Fifth one of the most impressive luxury condo buildings in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City and just 2 blocks from NYU across Washington Park_

Two bedroom. Hum, we need one for the baby. Wonder if she is going to want her own room. lets see, three bedroom - no fucking way, I am not paying $1,250,000 more for another bedroom. She can damned well sleep with me. I guess I'll let her do that, she is my wife and all and I do want the baby to see us as a happy couple. She told me she didn't care about the apartment. Guess I'll take her at her word.

Wonder how that is going to work?

After a few days, a cyber tour, and several hours on the phone, I headed to Jenk's office to sign the papers. I was about to be a homeowner. I was surprised how excited I was to be doing this, it felt like I was being so responsible, though Jenks hadn't thought so. He damned near had a fit that I wanted half the money placed in a checking account, well, money market account. Anyway that I wanted immediate access to the cash. Ha! He thought I wanted to spend it on women and coke! Two months ago he would have been right, only it would have been fast cars, stoli and women - I didn't do drugs. Anyway, I reminded him that he had a responsibility to maintain my business as my own if he was going to be my attorney and he could not disclose to my Dad what I was doing. He was only to tell him he gave me the name of an adviser in New York and he agreed. You could not believe the surprised look on his face when I stopped by his office to let him know he would be receiving some faxes from a New York realtor and I wanted him to negotiate the deal and handle the closing and pay cash for my condo. He shook my hand and treated me like I was actually a client of his, using good judgement, not like I was the snot nosed lets waste granddaddy's money kid that I myself thought I was, or had intended to be, It felt good.

I could do this.

When I got home I went online to see about furniture. I had the dimensions of the condos rooms and so I could order what we needed and have it delivered. After hours of looking, I decided I didn't care about the furniture, and that we would have a month to get some once we were there and Bella could pick all that shit out and get what she liked. I didn't care, except maybe that leather couches were cool, they didn't show beer stains and shit when you spilled. I did order a bed. I figured sleeping on the floor would suck and I saw this one with wrought iron posts that made a canopy with beige fabric and shit hanging down from it. It looked really cool, like something a chick might like, so I ordered it in a king size with one of those mattresses that adjusts on both sides. Shit, I at least wanted her to be comfortable since she was pregnant and all.

**BPOV**

August came faster than I had imagined. My cast was off. Edward, true to his word, had checked on me everyday and we had even gone out a few times to movies and dinner. James had been right, he really was a nice guy. I had said nothing to him about other women and we had not talked about it or made any agreement. I guess it would come up at some point. I knew he was a man, after all and from what James had described, prided himself on a new conquest weekly. I asked him to go ahead and pick out the apartment. He was the one paying for it and I already felt guilty about it. NYU had accepted me based on a waiting list since I had applied so late but had such high marks and scores. I told my Dad I was in regardless and that I had a scholarship which I did have, when they had room for me. Edward had purchased our tickets to New Yprk and I was meeting him at the airport. We had shipped several boxes of things from my room and his and they would be waiting for us. I had agreed to help pick out the furniture once we got there, as Edward had no clue what to get. I knew how to bargain shop and I am sure I could pick up some used things that would do. I just wanted a nice crib for the baby, I could make do for myself - though I didn't know what Edward thought. I didn't know how we were going to do financially and I had been raised to be frugal.

I could take care of myself, I was just afraid of it being just me and the baby. I guess James had thought of that as well. He had asked Edward to be a husband and father. How do you ask someone to do that? I wondered if I hadn't been so upset that I threatened to go to the cliff myself, if Edward would have ever told me of the promise he made to James. No one would have ever known and he could be getting a bachelor pad in "the city that never sleeps" as he called it, instead of having a pregnant "wife" to care for and a baby on the way. It was cute how he always called me wife, well, when no one was around.

I said my goodbye to Charlie as he dropped me off at the terminal and walked in to find Edward and check in. My first clue that things were not as they seemed came about when they called for first class to board the plane and Edward stood up. He turned to me and offered his hand. My look must have amused him because he broke out the million dollar crooked grin of his and said, "Only the best for Mrs. Cullen".

Wow, we were going to have to talk about this!

I slept through most of the flight, Edward's hand in mine. He was so nice, knowing I was afraid of flying. I had never been east of Albuquerque and all this was new to me. I hadn't admitted it to him, of course, but I think he knew I was absolutely terrified . . .

First time in college.

First time away from home living on my own.

First time pregnant.

First time living with a man.

It was the last one that worried me. Why we had not discussed what we expected from each other, I had no idesa and this was a hell of a time to realize that. I could not possible be with another man . . . like that . . . at least not while I was pregnant with Jame's child and I could not possible expect Edward Cullen to go without sex for 7 months till I had the baby. I didn't even know if he had been going out since we had been married, it just did not seem like my business to ask him and he had not offered the information. He wasn't interested in me like that anyway, though I had had a crush on him since I'd seen him around town. He was a drop dead gorgeous man and I was starting to have feelings for him. Well, for now, he is sitting beside me and holding my hand and it is enough. I can't wait to see out apartment. He had told me it was on the 11th floor and was across a small park and 2 blocks away from the campus in a building called 25 Fifth Avenue. The location seemed perfect for us. I hadn't cared before, but it was all seeming to become very real to me - fast, really fast.

It was late afternoon by the time we got our bags and hailed a cab, the lights of the city were just coming on as we approached Manhattan Island and it was amazing. We pulled up in front of a canopied walkway and a doorman opened the cab door for us.

Oh My God.

That was my first clue. The doorman welcomed us by name and said he would have our bags brought upstairs for us. My jaw dropped. All I could do was stare at Edward as his smile spread from ear to ear.

"Come on, wife, lets see our new home!"

Eleventh floor, apartment B. Edward unlocked the door then picked me up bridal style, pushed the door open with his foot and carried me in. I have never seen anyone smile so happily in my life. He looked like the cat who had just eaten the canary as he kissed me on the cheek and said "Welcome home, wife!"

"Edward, what have you done?"

"Don't you like it? He asked with his head cocked to one side.

I looked around. I was standing in a living room complete with a beautiful mantle and fireplace, huge window and 10 foot high beamed ceilings. The floors were hardwood, the kitchen was modern and contemporary with all new appliances of stainless steel and a black tiled marble floor. It was absolutely beautiful. I walked forward into the hall and saw a bedroom to my left with an amazing view of New York, a black and white tiled bathroom in front of me, and to my right two walk in closets on a hallway leading to the master bedroom. All the rooms were empty, of course . . . except for the master bedroom. There in the middle of the room was a ginormous wrought iron canopy bed. It was huge! Good thing there were 10 foot ceilings because this came within a couple of feet of the ceiling, and it was made up with the softest most comfy looking pillows and comforter, all cream colored to match the linens hanging from the canopy.

"Edward, what have you done"", I exclaimed.

The bell rang and he left to answer the door. It was the porter with all our luggage. He brought it into one of the walk in closets and left. Edward walked to where I stood by the bed, my face turning red as I stood there. What did he expect from me - this was the moment when having talked this out before would have come in handy.

He took my hand and turned me toward him, placing both his hands on my cheeks, he gently leaned in and kissed my forehead. "Bella, I only want you to be comfortable. I thought the bed was beautiful, like you and it's big enough for us to share. I don't expect anything from you. I promised I would be a good husband and father, and I intend to be just that, okay? We can return the bed if you don't like it and get something else!"

I didn't know what to say, so I just cried. Finally I managed to get the words "It's beautiful" out.

My stomach growled just then and Edward suggested we explore the restaurants near us. He was hungry, too and there was, of course, no food in the house. As we sat at a cozy little Italian place, I finally had the nerve to ask, "Edward, how can we afford to rent a place like that in New York?". He looked at me sheepishly and said, "We don't have to. I bought it."

"You bought it? What do you mean . . . how the . . . ", he shushed me and said. "Bella. We can afford it."

"But . . . we, I can't afford _anythin_g much less something like that - that place had to cost a million dollars or something . . . Edward!".

"Isabella Cullen. We can afford it, wife, and it cost closer to two if you have to know."

I just starred at him, my mouth hanging open. "And tomorrow we are going to go out and furnish it with anything you like - especially the baby's room."

I didn't know what to say. I was totally blown away by this man. What I did say was, "So does that mean we can afford for me to have dessert?"

He brought out his million dollar crooked smile and even his eyes laughed. I couldn't help but laugh with him. We finished dinner, stopped at the store for juice and pastries for breakfast and he held my hand as we walked back to out new home. As I was fiddling with finding my toiletry's in my suitcase, he came out of the bathroom in a pair of flannel sleep pants, slung low on his hips. I heard myself draw in a quick breath of air as he walked to the bed and picked up what looked like a remote. He handed it to me and told me the bed had adjustments on each side so I could have it as hard or as soft as I wanted on my side. He kissed my cheek and said good night. I watched as this drop dead gorgeous man walked over to the opposite side of the bed, pulled down the comforter and climbed in, his back to me.

How was this ever going to work. I was sure he had turned from me to ease my distress over crawling into bed with him. What an angel. How could I object to sharing his bed when he had been so thoughtful even of my comfort with a separate control for my side and a feminine bed that any woman would die for. The wrought iron was in the form of vines with delicate roses adorning them. This was not a bed a man would have for just himself. James was so right about his friend. I would have to do something special for him, soon.

Morning came. I awoke to the light streaming in our bedroom. It was magical, it felt like I was a princess in a storybook. I actually let go of feeling small and ashamed, at least for a moment. I looked over at Edward, still fast asleep, face down in the pillow and noticed his left hand lying over his head on his pillow - he was wearing his wedding ring.

I went to the kitchen and got the juice and pastries and climbed back into bed to wake Edward.

"Edward, I called in his ear."

"Hum", was the groggy response I got from him. I nugged him and his eyes opened and looked at me sleepily. "Good morning, I thought we could have a picnic in this huge bed!"

"Morning, wife", he hoarsely said, running his fingers thru his hair in a fruitless attempt to calm it. "Be right back," he said. He tossed the covers off and threw his legs over the edge to stand, sleepily, still running a hand through that hair. He trudged towards the bathroom and I hope to God he did not see me starring! I had never seen anything like the bulge in his pants as he walked to the restroom. Only gone a minute, he hopped onto the bed and helped himself to a danish, asking me where I would like to start shopping today!

We had managed to spend the day in stores, up to the elbows in color samples and swatches. I had picked out everything from dining room tables to toaster ovens, sheets and towels to dressers and mirrors. Edward had chosen the sofa and TV's. I would never have spent that much on sofas but he really wanted leather and, of course, the huge flat screen to mount on the wall. They fit the room and it was all going to be awesome together. Edward insisted that we get everything we wanted because we had missed out on wedding gifts since no one but Jake knew we were married. We were pretty much set, except for the things we would discover with time that we needed.

I didn't want to get the babies things yet. We didn't know if it was a girl or a boy. Edward insisted we at least buy it something, so I got one of the bassinets that was set on a stand and had shelves under for diapers and such to put in our room when it was first born. It came in a cream color and the wood matched the furniture we had chosen for the room. Edward had picked out some soft baby blue blankets and sleepers. "Well", he said, "blue looks great on you, so it will look good on a daughter as well. Blue doesn't have to just be for boys!" He added newborn diapers and wipies to the ever growing list and arranged to have it all delivered to us. That's New York! Everything delivered.

He said we could afford it, not to worry. He made an appointment with a Wall Street investment counselor for later in the week to manage our "portfolio", whatever that was. A brief explanation that Carlisle was paying for his college, my scholarship would pay for mine and the inheritance he had gotten from his grandparents, amounting to several million dollars, would earn interest and give us an income while we were in school. Perfect. He had given this a lot of thought.

Dr. Cullen had kept my pregnancy to himself, as patient confidentiality required, but I think he thought it was Edward's baby, given the way Edward was being so protective of me. Neither of us had worked up the nerve or had the right occasion come along to tell our parents that we had married, much less that we were expecting. Well, I was expecting but Edward . . . well, he was insisting on acting like Daddy and referred to this child as "our" child. He was serious. He had helped me to check out obgyn doctors to deliver the baby and had accompanied me on my first visit.

We didn't know anyone in New York yet and Rose had not arrived to start school. I called my Uncle Aro and Aunt Jane, some of the crowd that had been around me when Edward had said hello at my graduation, and left a message for them. Edward and I had intended on visiting them since they lived in Manhattan. How much we were going to tell them, we hadn't decided, but Aro was my favorite Uncle and I could trust him. We wanted to tell our parents first but couldn't exactly decide how to tell them. If we waited till Christmas break to go home, it would be obvious. Maybe we could go home at Thanksgiving. I was thin, maybe we could at least tell them before they guessed. That was the plan.

We spent the next couple of weeks settling in, arranging furniture, putting away our clothes and unpacking the boxes we had sent from home. Edward had an amazing music collection and we had forgotten to get a new stereo system . . . so more shopping. He seemed to really enjoy meals that I cooked for him in the evenings and we started preparing them together. He was a riot in the kitchen! I had to really keep an eye on him to make sure pieces of fingers didn't get added to the recipe when he was chopping vegetables and we went through quite a few band-aids! He was adorable. We went to a couple of movies, rented videos and fell into a daily routine. He showed no signs of being restless or needing to go out without me. If anything, he seemed so content, I almost thought he was purring one evening while he was lying on the sofa, his head in my lap. The routine he started our first night here didn't change, he always kissed me on the cheek and said "goodnight, wife" before getting into bed at night. How cute is that! He never went further.

I had woken up early one morning, the light just starting to enter our room, to find Edward sound asleep on his stomach as always, but with his arm over me. I starred at him for a long minute . . this beautiful man who was my husband and decided that I really was becoming quite attached to him. I scooted over to his sleeping form and gently kissed him on the lips. He looked up thru those sleepy eyes and said, as always "good morning, wife!". He sheepishly removed his arm from around me and excused himself to the bathroom. Hum, I definitely wanted more and I wanted it with him. I decided to add something else to our bedtime ritual. When I climbed into bed, instead of just turning out the light to sleep, I scooted over next to him. His head shot up from the pillow and turned to me. His eyes were wary and alert, though he had settled into bed face down in the pillow several minutes before. I leaned toward his face and while looking into his eyes gently kissed him on the lips and said, "goodnight husband." I turned away from him to sleep and felt him scoot close behind me, spooning and gently placing his arm over me, his warm breath on my neck. I almost swore I heard him puring . . . almost.

My notice that they had room in the enrolling class came here, to our new address. I was so excited! We would be attending school together, though I would only be a freshman and he was a junior. We walked to campus to explore early on the morning of registration, holding hands as we walked thru the park from our condo. Registration went well, I didn't declare a major yet and enrolled in all the mandatory classes for freshmen. Edward took some advanced science and math classes, and we stood in line at the bookstore. I had this odd feeling that a group of girls were starring at him, but it was probably my imagination. We stopped at the cafeteria to have a bite, it seemed I couldn't go long with out food these days, though I wasn't showing yet. Edward had gone to get something else from the line when the same group of girls came in and sat down at the table across from me. They were laughing and giggling and I soon realized the object of their starring . . . my husband, Edward. Not that he was paying any attention to anyone in the room other than me but I listened as one of the girls said to the other,

"Tanya! He's wearing a wedding ring, let it go!"


	5. Chapter 5 by Lynzi

**Disclaimer:** All the Twilight stuff belongs to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. I'm just playing in her sandbox.

Chapter 5 By Lynzi

**BPOV**

"Okay Mrs. Cullen, just be prepared, the gel is quite cold I'm afraid", said Dr Curtis, sitting beside the sonogram machine. He squirted the mess on my belly and I flinched.

"Are we waiting for your husband?" he enquired.

"Edward had to attend class, he has a bit to catch up on, the classes here are more advanced than at home." I explained. What I didn't mention was, I wanted this to be a private moment when I saw the baby James and I created. It was all I had left of him. Edward had no idea I was even here today, I let him think I was shopping for baby clothes and I had the bags of tiny garments to back up my story.

Last night had been strange. We had decided to go to the local bar all the students frequente and those girls were there.

That blond girl Tanya. I know she knows Edward, and much as he was playing it down, I have a feeling it was in the Biblical sense.

Edward had stopped dead still when he saw the girls, then he straightened up and walked over swiftly, sitting beside me, and putting an arm around my shoulders.

"This is my WIFE, Bella. Nice to see you girls again. I had forgotten why I like New York so much." he said, then he looked stricken when he realized his words hardly sounded like those of a devoted husband. He didn't offer to buy them drinks, and as more men arrived, the girls all drifted off, but the one called Tanya seemed to be determined to waylay Edward every time he went to buy us more drinks.

I went to the Ladies room while he was gone, and to my surprise, Tanya followed me in.

"So, you trapped him into marriage, well done. He is an awesome fuck, hey? I should have tried that myself, but the thought of some wet, screaming kid? Just no. When he gets sick of the dirty diapers and no sleep, just know he is in safe hands, I will take good care of him as always."

She marched out and I used the bathroom and dried my hands thoughtfully. So, she was one of his many, but obviously he didn't have feelings for her, or he would be with her and not me. I tried to convince myself of that. I knew deep down he married me for one reason, and it was all to do with James and his promise, not to do with me.

When I got back to the table, Edward and Tanya stopped the intense conversation they were having and Edward stood and took my hand. Our new drinks sat on the table but he ignored them and said a stiff Goodnight to Tanya and led me to the car.

"I assume she is one of yours." I commented.

"Actually, no. She was willing but my parents never gave us any time alone together so we never actually..."

I was surprised.

"She was a future treat." he said, running a hand through his hair.

"Edward, we need to discuss things like this. What do you want to happen? Are you taking a lover on the side or just one night stands? I need to know."

"What do you mean? I promised James I would be a father to his kid and marry you. I am doing that. I don't intend sleeping around. I haven't been with anyone since the wedding."

I was shocked and looked at him.

"So, do you intend, for us...?"

"Maybe, who knows what the future holds? We are married, Bella. That is what married couples do." he smirked.

But he had never seen me, wanted me, like that. He hated me when I was with James. I knew that. I tried to get my head around it. Did he think we could be a real couple some day?

Could I see us a couple? I know it sounds bizarre, we are married, but I guess I never expected us to be more than pretend man and wife. I vaguely thought he would have lovers, we would be 'in name only', I had never had to think further than that.

A chaste bedtime kiss was nothing, I had just wanted us on better terms, less impersonal. Living together, we were not going to be strangers.

xXx oOo xXx

"Now, here we go."

The doctor smoothed the transducer over my still flat belly and frowned. He adjusted a couple of knobs on the machine, and did it again.

"I just need a second opinion." he explained and walked to the phone on the wall.

"Andre, could you come to Exam Room 12, please. Thanks."

He sat back down and I found myself imagining all sorts...twins, triplets, oh my God, conjoined twins? Was the baby deformed? Dead?

The new doctor quickly sat and repeated the scan.

"Blighted ovum." he stated and left the room with no further explanation.

Dr Curtis faced me and wiped the goo off my belly.

"What's a blighted ovum?" I asked. It didn't sound good and they had turned the monitor away so I never saw my baby.

"Basically, an egg is fertilized, implants, and everything develops, the sac, the placenta, the cord, but no embryo. There is no baby."

"But I feel sick, I have morning sickness. My breasts ache all the time, I am so tired. I must be pregnant." I argued.

"You are pregnant, strictly speaking but there is no baby." he repeated.

"But James and I...I want this baby." I stated firmly, like that would make it grow.

"I'm sorry." he said. "we can book you in for a Dilation and curettage later this week but any sign of bleeding, I want you right here instantly, at the hospital emergency entrance. They can be very dangerous when the placenta has grown this large, and can abort quickly."

"Is there any chance it's just a small baby? Not growing as fast as it should?" I begged.

He ripped off the Polaroid photos and handed them to me.

"Sac is intact. Placenta, cord, no fetus. You are five months along by dates. The baby should be taking up about 70% of this photo." he pointed to each item with a pen as he spoke.

I redressed and sadly said goodbye to Jaymee-Rose. I had one single baby name conversation with James, he hoped for a girl, and he liked the idea I suggested, of naming her after him.

I was so full of sorrow and disappointment I didn't even think about what this now meant for Edward and I. He was no longer obligated to stay with me. And the marriage had never been consummated. He could walk away a free man.

I entered the apartment and lay on our bed, and let the tears that had been threatening to overtake me, come.

This was it, I can not hold on Edward now.

I was shocked and surprised at how gutted I felt at the idea of having to leave him. I didn't think he meant that much to me. Sure, he was beautiful, and he had been amazing, marrying me, a woman he hated, just because he had promised a dead man. It wasn't like James could do anything to him if he had kept the promise a secret from me, and just walked away.

I didn't know what was hurting the most, losing the baby or losing the future I had just started imagining, with Edward.

I shook myself together, and packed my clothes, and a few of Edward's large old high school Tshirts he gave me to sleep in, and the few items I had brought here with me. There had never been much, let's face it, money in the Cullen family coffers was vastly different to the amount us Swans had. We thought all our Christmases had come at once when my dad won a small Lottery prize and bought his boat and the flatscreen and my truck. He had given me $2,000 to spend on myself. I had never seen figures like that in my savings account, and had budgeted and spent it wisely, on books and the odd essential item of clothing. A really warm, waterproof coat, thick, sturdy boots, new underwear so I had more than seven pairs. That had been my measure of luxury before.

I would never have adjusted to Edward's idea of normal. This apartment, it wasn't me. It was him, all him. I had felt like a visitor, and always knew I would not be here for long, it just didn't feel like 'home'. Edward had done everything he could, but I knew I would always be a 3 bedroomed cottage by the sea girl, and that decided where I would go.

My gran had left us her tiny cottage near Forks, right near LaPush beach, just a mile or two from where the Quileute Rez started. I knew Jake and Leah would help me, and Dr Cullen would be able to do the operation that ended this sham of a pregnancy.

I sat at the table and took a piece of paper from my daily diary and tried to think what to say to Edward. I don't want him to leave college and follow me. One of us should get a decent education, I could get a job at the coffee shop in Forks, take my truck back from where it sat in my dad's driveway, and readjust to struggling week by week.

_Dear Edward,_

_I swear I did not trick you on purpose, I did believe I was carrying James' child. I found out today it was one of those pregnancies like on the X Files where the baby just disappears and leaves it's luggage behind. I can't stay and ruin your life any longer, I am grateful for all you have done and if you have the annulment papers sent to Charlie's, I will be in touch with him and have them forwarded to me. I truly am sorry I interrupted your life, and I want you to know, you did an amazing thing. You altered your entire life for a woman you hated, and a baby that was never to be, and I am sad she will never know you now she doesn't exist. I had dreamed of her in your arms. Maybe you could donate the baby stuff to charity. I am sorry for wasting your money. I hope you find a girl who deserves you, Edward. All the best for your future. I want to hear you passed with honors in two years time, better still, I hope you go the distance and complete the whole medical degree. I will always remember you fondly. Thank you, for everything. Please don't try and find me, I don't want to be found._

_Love, Bella._

I slipped the gold band and the diamond ring I had never expected off my left hand and looked at it sadly. Pale as I was, my skin was slightly lighter where they had sat these last months, so I would have that reminder, for a while, and some memories of having my sore feet and ankles rubbed in front of the tv each night, and the herbal tea and cookie I always awoke to of a morning before Edward allowed me out of bed, to ease the nausea.

Some lucky girl would be gaining an amazing husband one day, when Edward was ready

I placed my undeserved rings on his pillow.

I decided to let everyone think I was living with Charlie and not even tell my dad where I really was. I doubted Edward would even look for me, but if he did, he would not find me. I meant what I said, I wanted him to stay at college and be a doctor some day, if he continued his studies.

He would be an amazing doctor.

I could already picture him treating small, frightened children, little girls, little girls with James' blond hair and blue eyes.

Jaymee-Rose.

I felt like she had been kidnapped.

This morning I was buying tiny newborn garments for her, anything with a rose on it, now I was planning the operation that would take her away, as if she never existed. I had to believe she had, even if it had been merely a few hours or days, before she stopped developing. I had loved her, now I felt foolish. I had loved my empty womb.

Bella Swan could not even have a baby properly, not like other women.

I opened the bags I had so happily carried into the scan, and took out the tiny rosebud covered clothes. A tiny white dress, covered in pink smocking and embroidered rosebuds. A matching bonnet. Tiny white shoes, and pink lacy sox. This had been her homecoming outfit.

I picked up the 'cotton candy pink' haired Teddybear Edward had lain in the bassinet, he had been determined to buy her the first toy she ever owned, and I dressed the bear in the clothes and I lay it in the bassinet, covering it with a pink blanket.

I knew Edward had bought her something special and I took the small velvet box out of his bedside drawer, and stared at the name bracelet. He had paid to have it engraved with her name, and much as I knew I should leave it, maybe put it on the bear too, I clasped it around my wrist. The chain barely meeting itself as I looped the small gold lock on both the first and last link, and secured it . I still wore my own, similarly barely fitting me now, but the two together, the old and the new, meant I would always have her with me.

Edward would understand.

I kissed the bear and pulled on my Forks coat, it was a fittingly cold and wet day today, and headed towards the airport in a taxi. There was bound to be one spare seat available, more people travelled away from Forks than towards it.

I slept on the plane and wondered if Edward even knew I had gone yet. My heart felt numb, and I unconsciously rubbed the non existent baby inside me, and tried to hide my tears.

I had it all this morning, now I had nothing.

xXx oOo xXx

Dr Cullen did the procedure and kept me in overnight, there were no complications, and I drove myself home the next morning.

Charlie had helped me , lent me money to stock my pantry, and I sank into bed and looked out the window at the rain, the never ending rain, as it dripped and coursed down my windows.

Edward's POV

I laughed at Tanya's suggestion, that we hook up as study buddies.

"Not happening. I have a wife at home, remember. I know you would not be interested in actual studying, anyway, I think medicine is a little out of your field."

"Edward, you have no idea how much of a deep disappointment you are to me. I never thought I would see you turn into a husband. I don't care that you are married and have to fuck the wifey once a week, I will even give you that night off." she offered.

She had no idea.

The only time I had been intimate with Bella had been in my dreams, but as soon as she recovers from the birth of this baby, I am hoping our connection by then will be strong enough for her to want a real relationship with me. A wife in all ways.

I hold her close in bed at night and my dreams always take me to the same place, a place where bella loves me and her body wants mine as much as mine wants hers.

Some nights I have to leave our bed to take care of myself, as I don't want her thinking I am some sex ruled Neanderthal, who only sleeps that close for the sexual thrill it gives me. I love the feel of her in my arms, so warm, so soft, so sweet. So unresisting in sleep.

I know it should be perfectly normal to want to have sex with your wife but it had taken time to stop seeing her as James', despite the marriage certificate, and now in my dreams, she was mine.

Whoever would have thought James was right, he was the one who saw her clearly, not me.

I entered a stall in the men's bathroom and relieved my stress, my closed eyes seeing her beneath me, sighing and writhing at my touch. My lips almost felt hers on mine. We had kissed at the wedding, and in our new morning and evening ritual that she had instigated. My hand did what I wished hers would, stroking me to completion, as I remembered her scent and pretended my hand was hers.

"Bellaa" I whispered, but screamed in my head as I felt her bring on my orgasm.

I hated that I had to do this here, but I could not do it at home, when she was awake. The few times I had, in the shower, I felt so self conscious, worried she would know, and hate that I had to have sex every day in some form. Why was I refusing Tanya and the other girls generous offers, of sex with no strings?

I don't know, I don't fully understand myself.

I used to live for my one night stands, and my games of chasing the reluctant girls and changing their minds, making them think it was their idea.

I missed real sex but not the emptiness that always followed, when I rolled out of their beds and headed home, or sat outside and smoked impatiently, waiting for them to leave.

I had never spent an entire night in a bed with any woman before Bella and I liked it.

Somehow, smelling her scent, breathing in her gentle aroma as I nuzzled her hair as she slept, it had become the center of my universe.

I was strangely happy with marriage, even as weirdly as it had come about.

Even if James had made me promise to only stick around these first five months, I would stay with her now.

What had started as a ridiculous, insincere promise had changed my entire existence. I lived for her, and that little girl growing inside her.

I was sad she hadn't asked me to go with her today, she was hopeless at keeping secrets, seeing she spoke in her sleep at night, and I knew she wanted this first look at the baby alone. Maybe she would feel James beside her as she saw Jaymee-Rose kick and maybe wave a hand at her. I would be going to every future scan, I wanted to see this baby and know her before she was born.

Lavender, the hippie chick in class had told me her boyfriend made these amazing wooden rocking horses and carved the child's name into the saddle, so I had dropped her an envelope with the $750 he charged, and she had read our daughter's name on the front, and smiled at me.

"Jaymee-Rose, how cute. You know it's a girl, then?" she asked.

I shrugged.

"Bella says it is, it's what th...she..we are hoping for."

On impulse, I bought Bella a small box of her favorite chocolates and slid them in my bag.

"Edward, come have a drink. Just one." asked my best new friend, Daniel. He was buying a box of tampons for his girlfriend,and weirdly, I envied they were that close, that he felt completely unselfconscious as he lay them on the counter to pay. He hadn't even done the 'teenage condom purchase' thing of buying other items in the hope nobody noticed the one thing he really wanted to buy. He tossed them into his bag, and stood waiting for me.

I shrugged, I guess maybe Bella would appreciate an evening alone with her baby pictures. She may not tell me anything, keeping up the pretence she hadn't gone today, but she will spill it all tonight, in her sleep. On impulse, I grabbed a blue teddybear from the small display of gifts, so if it is a boy, I can hand him to Bella and pretend I was hoping for a boy all along.

I don't care what gender it is, a girl would be nice, but a son may be more of James. If you know what I mean, and I wanted his child to keep him with us, for the rest of our lives.

Maybe Bella would even have a baby of mine, as well, one day. A little girl, I hoped.

Though if a boy, that would be cool too.

We dropped our bags under the booth.

Daniel handed me a glass of pale ale and I joined in his toast to baby Cullen and one drink led to another.

Tanya and the girls came in and sat with us, but I kept Dan between us, and kept Tanya away.

Dan walked me home, and I was shocked at the lateness, and my feet were having a little trouble co ordinating, so I shh'ed myself as I opened my front door, and decided maybe I had better sleep on the couch tonight. I dropped my bag out of harm's way, didn't want Bella to trip on it, and grabbed the patchwork quilt she had brought with her, that her Mom had made her years ago, when she was a child.

At first, it was fine, the alcohol numbed me and I slept but I kept reaching for the small, warm body of my wife so at 5am, I gave in and went to the bathroom, then our bedroom.

The bed was empty.

I looked closer, it was cold and untouched, the boxers I dropped on the covers were still there from this morning.

I saw the note, and read it to myself, through bleary eyes.

I read it again.

What did she mean? The baby never existed? How could she not know she had nothing inside her?

The last line, though...

She didn't want me to look for her.

I reread that line a million times, in class, in the cafe having lunch that I barely picked at, in my study periods.

I tried to understand her words, they seemed to say something other than what they did at first glance.

I ended up handing Lavender the note.

She shook her head and placed her hand on my arm.

"Edward, I am so sorry."

"What does she mean?" I asked.

"She means, thanks for being there when I needed you but now I don't..."

"Thanks, but no thanks." I summed it up.

Lavender nodded.

I took the note back and refolded it carefully.

She didn't want me.

Of course she didn't , it made sense she didn't. She married me for one reason and that reason never existed, really.

I packed up the baby stuff and had it shipped home, asking my Mom to store it in the attic.

I placed the bear in my bottom drawer and threw my Tshirts over it. I didn't want to see it but I couldn't get rid of it.

I signed up for the extra two years it would take to follow my father's footsteps, and put my head down and threw myself into study.

Chapter over, Edward.

Let her go, it was all in your head.

Dan moved into the spare bedroom and it no longer resembled a baby's room at all.

His girlfriend offered to bring her friends home for me to pick through, but my heart wasn't in it.

Maybe my hand would be safer, it couldn't hurt me, after all.

I resisted going home, unable to face Carlisle and Esme and admit what had happened, the imaginary life I had created and now it was over, there was nothing to mention anyway.

xXx oOo XxX

My first patient sat and faced me, and I grinned at my dad as he sat in on the consultation.

It was easy.

The rash, the high temperature, the crusting on the spots.

"Chicken pox, Mrs Taylor. He will be quite unwell for a few days." I rummaged for the leaflet on ways to soothe the pain, and patted the small boys head.

He was fair, almost white blond.

I looked at his chart.

James Alexander Taylor.

James.

I still thought of another James, most days.

But it was her that haunted my dreams.


	6. Chapter 6 Dr Cullen

**Disclaimer:** All the Twilight stuff belongs to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. I'm just playing in her sandbox.

**Chapter 6 Dr. Cullen**

It had been a long day, one of many lately. I sat here looking out at the rain as I wrung my fingers through the mop on my head. I enjoyed my profession, I just could not believe I had ended up doing what I swore I never would - I had followed in Carlisle's footsteps. It wouldn't have happened if it hadn't been for Bella. I was back in Forks, in my old room at my Mom and Dad's house, well, till I found a home of my own that I wanted to buy.

After my years at New York University were over and I was to enter my residency, I had decided to take up pediatrics and intern with my father in Forks. Home. Five years ago I could not get out of here fast enough, so rady to fuck women and squander my inheritance. I would have, too, if it hadn't been for the promise that I made to James . . . and Bella.

I thought I had a home in NY, but when Bella left, all that had changed. My wife. Somehow the slight little brown haired girl had taken all that with her when she left. I had looked for her, of course. I had gone directly to her obgyn, the one we had chosen together and demanded to see him. He told me what had happened, he had no reason not to. I had been with her for every appointment - everyone except the last one. . . the one that had ended it all. It was so hard to believe that there was no baby, we were so set to have it. I was so set to take care of her, and after she had the baby . . .

Fuck.

_Dear Edward,_

_I swear I did not trick you on purpose, I did believe I was carrying James' child. I found out today it was one of those pregnancies like on the X Files where the baby just disappears and leaves it's luggage behind. I can't stay and ruin your life any longer, I am grateful for all you have done and if you have the annulment papers sent to Charlie's, I will be in touch with him and have them forwarded to me. I truly am sorry I interrupted your life, and I want you to know, you did an amazing thing. You altered your entire life for a woman you hated, and a baby that was never to be, and I am sad she will never know you now she doesn't exist. I had dreamed of her in your arms. Maybe you could donate the baby stuff to charity. I am sorry for wasting your money. I hope you find a girl who deserves you, Edward. All the best for your future. I want to hear you passed with honors in two years time, better still, I hope you go the distance and complete the whole medical degree. I will always remember you fondly. Thank you, for everything. Please don't try and find me, I don't want to be found._

_Love, Bella._

I reread her letter a thousand times. I tried to find her. I didn't care that she told me not to and I harassed Charlie to the point I thought he would shoot me on sight, but none of it had worked. She had somehow managed to disappear without a single trace. Even the private eye that I hired wasn't able to get a lead.

I drifted off to sleep . . .

I had my Dad's Mercedes for the evening - after many conversations and loads of convincing, I had talked Bella into letting me take her to the prom. It was important. James had put so much importance on it that he had bought her a dress himself. I got to her house early, as we had dinner reservations first and she was beautiful. She was wearing the same dress we were married in and the cut of the top made her breasts look even larger than the extra the pregnancy had added. James had been right, she was fucking gorgeous. I had been determined to show her a good time and she danced, standing on my shoes, with me for hours, laughing and talking. The feel of her warm breath on my neck and her hand in my hair at the nap of my neck undid me. I think it was at that moment, I fell in love with the girl.

Edward fucking Cullen in love, who would have thought it possible. I couldn't tell her, she was still grieving for James. Still keeping something of his with her and sleeping in his t shirts, though she was now my wife. As I opened the door for her to go into Charlie's after the dance I hugged her and leaned in and kissed her on the cheek saying,

"goodnight, wife!".

I awoke to find the mess I had made in my pajama pants, having come by my own hand. Shit. Not again! I was pathetic. I was Edward Cullen, I always got the girl and now I refused to have any girl if I could not have that one. She was still _my _wife and I would find her. I knew deep down she cared for me, I could feel it. I was so stupid for not letting her know how I felt at the time. If I had told her I loved her, shown her more affection, maybe she would have stayed. I was just trying to respect the feelings she had for James and not be forward with her and make a move till the baby was born. Then she was mine. Well, baby is gone and I was going to find her. There had been no divorce and I had been faithful. No other women, though Tanya had tried, God had she tried while we were in school. When she found out Bella had left me, she was impossible.

I reached down in the bottom drawer of my night stand and moved aside Bella's shirts and sweat pants that I kept there, to find the little blue bear that I had bought. I had kept it. Yes, I'm a 25 year old man, but I sometimes fell asleep hugging that damned little bear and wanting her. Every night, I always said "goodnight, wife" to the darkness, hoping that she would be back with me someday. I was really FUCKING pathetic. I didn't give a shit. I would be true to my feelings for once in my life.

The days turned into weeks and as Thanksgiving approached, the few times I managed to leave the hospital and do anything other than sleep, I had finally found a house that I wanted. It was a small, oddly enough it was two bedroom as the one in NY had been, with a study. I had shipped all my furniture from NY and it was being moved in from the storage unit on Saturday. I kept everything except the baby furniture, which I had sent Esme to store. She had never asked, I had never explained. I frantically searched for the little pink bear, but I could never find it, oh well, anyway. . . I was moving out of my parents house and into mine on Saturday. I had 3 days off from work to settle in. The house was on the beach, a few miles from First Beach and it was perfect.

Beautiful deck overlooking the beach, fireplace and high beamed ceiling in the living room, large master bedroom. Perfect. Once the furniture was in and I had placed it, it seemed like home. Alright, maybe the bedroom was not the masculine bedroom of a single guy, but I was not a single guy in my mind, and I kept the wrought iron flowered canopied bed that I had shared with Bella. In fact, as I looked around, I had pretty much recreated our home in New York. Only one thing to do, I reached in the bottom of my bag that had held my clothes, now hung nicely in my closet and grabbed the little blue bear. Bella's rings hung, looped through the ribbon on the front. I placed him under the pillow on her side of the bed. God I was a fucking wimpy ass whiny little pathetic shell . . . and I didn't even care.

I had gone to see Charlie when I moved back and though he had threatened me last time I spoke with him, I asked again for him to let her know that I wanted to talk to her, to please call me. I had not changed my cell number in all these years, just in case. He actually looked at me in disbelief, but said that he would tell her. I thanked him and left.

My father had noticed my behavior since I was back. I didn't know that he had been the one to perform the procedure ending her pregnancy, but it figured, since he was her doctor before we left. He eyed me with a knowing look like he had figured out something, though he had never known anything about the marriage. I wore my ring still, I had told him it kept the girls way and allowed me to concentrate, but I think he knew something was up all along.

I loved my cottage, it was one of 4 on that stretch of beach. I met the neighbors in two of the houses, and they were pleasant enough. There was a single guy in one of the houses, Jasper, and we became really good friends. He had been a war correspondent overseas for years and had moved here for some mental rest, away from it all. He couldn't have picked a better place for it! We started running on the beach together, when my schedule allowed, and we would have a couple of beers after wards. We had our feet up out on the deck, knocking back a beer or two one afternoon when my sister, Alice, stopped by with some baked goods from my mom. She knew I had a day or two off and she was still trying, in her own way, to take care of me.

It was one of those moments you read about - one of those that we all wish we had. Alice had just walked in unbidden as I never locked the door, and came out to the deck. I introduced her to Jasper, and they stared at each other. They actually stared!

Unfuckingbelievable.

You would have thought it was a scene from a damned book. Anyway, she put down the food and left, and the questions began. Jasper wanted to know all about her. Where she went to school, what she did for a living, where she live. She lived at home, of course, she and my mom had gone into design. Mom did home interiors and Alice designed window treatments and cloth coverings and dabbled in clothing design on the side. He wanted to know everything. Finally I said,

"Dude, I never see you chasing women, why are you interested now?"

"Edward," he said, "you so don't even know. I have been trying to go out with this girl from the end of the beach South of us for almost 2 years! She is fucking gorgeous! She won't go out with anyone. Anyone. She stays home and writes all the time."

"What girl, Jasper?", I asked. "I haven't seen any girl or anyone else around that house. I was wondering if anyone even lives there except that I sometimes see a light when I go for a late night run."

"She is amazing . . . long brown hair down to her butt, slight build but kind of busty, long legs. She looks like she is about our age, but I can't be sure. I had to almost stake out the house to find her out on the beach, I wouldn't have found her then but she was calling her dog and I offered to help her look for him. I managed to talk to her a few times since, but when I asked her out, she said she doesn't date. I asked her if she was married, but she looked away and started talking about something else. I think there is a story there, my nose for news tells me that there is a hurt or a lost love or something going on but I wasn't able to get her to crack. Anyway, I really want to know more about your sister, Alice. You say she is your twin sister?"

He went on and on with the questions and I answered them the best I could, considering it was my annoying little formal tea serving dressed in heels all the time sister. By the time we finished talking it was late and I headed off to bed with the challenge of a pool game hanging over my head for tomorrow.

Jasper was a pool shark. I discovered this 6 games and several hundred dollars too late, but I had a great time finding out. I had invited Jake over as well as Emmett and we played teams in an effort to beat him! The beer flowed as did the smack talk. Emmett was always one for living in the moment and was one of the only people I knew that could be happy doing whatever he happened to be doing at the time. Just that simple.

Jake was the first to bail on us, he had kids at home, 2 six year old twins, a three year old and a new baby that was expected before Christmas. Leah would need help putting them to bed. He wasn't fooling me, he wanted to get home and put the kids to bed and I knew it. I offered to drive him, his house was only a few miles up the beach and he had jogged over earlier in the day. As we walked to my car, we cut off the beach and through my house to the garage. Jake stopped dead in my living room and turned to me,

"Edward, man, why are you still wearing that ring? I noticed it before, but tonight I just had to ask. I remember the wedding and what you did for James, but I know that Bella left so . . . what's up with the ring, dude?"

I looked out to the beach while I fingered the ring on my left hand, looked down at it, then looked at Jake.

"I wear the ring because I am still married, Jake. I'm still her husband."

He looked at me like I was nuts.

"Edward, she left 4 years ago! I thought you were divorced or annulled or whatever!"

"No", I quietly said, still fingering the ring on my hand where she had placed it years ago.

"I asked you where she was, Jake. I pleaded with you. Did you not understand why? Is it not obvious to you. You are the only one that knows the whole story from my side and yet you don't know why I wear my ring? I fucking love her, Jake. I just really love her and I am going to find her. I tried to talk to you about this when I moved back but you just blew me off. I hired a detective to locate her, but she seems to have disappeared into thin air".

"I had thought she would be in touch with you, but I thought wrong about a lot of things apparently. I thought we were happy in New York, I thought she was starting to have feelings for me - I know she was, I just have to find her. I never told her how I felt. I was waiting till she had the baby."

**Jake POV**

Oh My God!

This was like one of those stupid girls romance books, full of love lost and people waiting forever and then finding their true love and shit. This was fucked up. I headed for the bathroom to relieve myself and turning into the wrong door, I saw this huge fairytale like canopied bed in his bedroom. His bedroom? Damn. He did have it bad. He had kept the furniture they had had in New York, this must be it because Leah had showed me a photo Bella had sent after they moved there about this dreamy bed Edward had purchased for them.

Damn. Damn. Damn. This was so fucked up.

"Edward, my friend, you have to move on, this is ridiculous. I saw your bedroom and a single guy does not have a room like that - unless he's batting for the other team."

"Then help me find her, Jake. I don't believe that you don't know where she is. Please! Wouldn't you go nuts for Leah if she suddenly disappeared from you without a trace? I really want my wife back!"

I let it go at that and he drove me home. I had to do something here to help them. Bella was so torn up over this guy she had not even given the time of day to until they were married. She had not dated, not once since she came back. She just sat in that cottage and wrote. She had become quite successful, financially at least, but she never went anywhere. I thought it was the loss of the baby, but maybe there was more . . .

**EPOV**

All this time I had no idea he was in love with in love with her. In love. Huh. Edward Cullen tamed. Who would have thought, and she doesn't even know . . . yet. I had to help my friends find each other! I said goodnight to Edward and walked into my front door. I called to my wife, "Leah, I need your help . . ."

Thanksgiving at my parents house was warm and inviting. Emmett was there with Rosalie, of course. She had moved back here after graduating in New York and they had an apartment together. Alice still lived at home and Jasper was there for dinner. They had become quite the couple, almost inseparable. It should have been comforting to me to see everyone together, smiling and happy, but it broke my heart. I stood on the back deck overlooking the river and my thoughts wandered to Bella. Carlisle joined me, gazing at the river with me and offered me a cigar. None of us smoked, but on Thanksgiving and Christmas, we would sometimes enjoy a fine cigar on the back deck.

"Are you enjoying the hospital here, son, and being back home?", Dad asked.

I nodded in affirmation, but gazed off into the distance, lost in memories of my wife."

"Son . . . SON!", Carlisle called.

"Yes, yes Dad, sorry, what were you saying?", I answered.

"Son, what's wrong?"

I lost it. I don't know why. Maybe it was the lack of sleep or stress at the hospital or maybe just the unbearable loneliness I felt, but I came unglued standing there with my Dad's hand on my shoulder. I told him about James and the promise I made to him and about Bella and the baby and how she had moved to New York with me. How she had changed me and that she was the reason I went on to medical school and completed it. I had dated no one and spent all my time studying. If he was proud of me for graduating at the top of my class, he should thank her. I told him how she left and that I had fallen in love with her by then and that I could not find her . . . and that no one would help me, not Charlie, not Jake and the private eye had found no trace of her. I told him everything. My mother had been at the door and had heard everything. She came and put her arms around me as tears streamed down my face.

Quietly, my father smoked and looked off towards the river. He turned to me and spoke -

"I'll help you find her, son. I would search the ends of the earth for Esme. I'll help you."


	7. Chapter 7  Discovery

**Disclaimer:** All the Twilight stuff belongs to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. I'm just playing in her sandbox.

**Chapter 7 Discovery**

**EPOV**

I was encouraged when my parents were so supportive of me, relieved of the guilt of hiding monumental parts of my life from them for all those years. It all clicked into place for them, the change in my attitude, my grades, my lack of spending money on entertainment and alcohol and the baby furnishing I had sent home for Esme to store. Proud of me, they had said they were proud of me in spite of all that I had told them. My mother hugged me more often and my Dad took me aside and told me that he was proud of the man I had become, and of the responsible decisions I had made. Dad understood now the rest of the story, the reason I was so concerned that night at the hospital, why she gave me the prenatal prescription to fill, why I had been so secretive about my apartment in New York.

Work continued and I spent almost all of my time at the hospital.

I still ran on the beach with Jasper evenings that I was off, I still said "Goodnight wife" into the darkness and I still sometimes fell asleep hugging that damned bear.

I had to do something, I needed a release for my feelings. I was never allowed to have Bella hear my side, only she got to leave a note, so I decided to write one to her _-_

_Dear Bella,_

_I know that you didn't trick me. We both thought you were expecting James' baby. I wish you had been. I had dreamed of holding her in my arms, too. I spoke with you obgyn and he explained what had happened. I wish you had come home and told me so that we could have comforted each other. I would have stayed with you regardless. I miss you! I miss saying "Good morning wife!" when I first raise my head from my pillow and I really miss your saying "Goodnight husband!" and you kissing my lips. I miss snuggling beside you with my arms around your warm body to sleep. I love you. I should have told you. I saved all the baby stuff, it is in storage waiting and hoping that one day our child can use it. My wedding ring is on my finger where you placed it and yours are worn by a little blue teddy bear, waiting for you. You asked me not to look for you. I can't do that. I need you._

_I am only yours,_

_Your husband, _

_Edward_

I put the note under her pillow on my bed and sat the little blue bear on it. I had at least started to deal with my feelings.

As Christmas approached the weather turned nasty. Flu was everywhere and particularly bad this year and I had lots of kids to see in the hospital clinic. I was pulling the next patients' chart when I noticed a familiar name - it was one of Jake's kids, one of the twins. I entered the patient room and Leah sat there holding the child on what lap she had left, being almost ready to deliver the baby she carried. The little girl was pale, even with her natural russet colored skin. She had her parents Native American coloring and dark eyes and hair. She was flushed with a fever of 105, way higher than I liked to see. After a blood count revealed what I had hoped not to see, suggested to Leah that I would need to admit her for a course of IV antibiotics as she seemed to have caught the particularly virulent strain of flu that was going around. I put my arm around Leah and assured her I would pay particular attention to my new little patient and that either she or Jake should be in the room with her at all times. We never left children that young alone in the hospital. I left orders, made my rounds, checked on her again and left for the day.

I had some Christmas shopping to do and the little pixie of a sister of mine was going to go shopping with me. We wanted to get out parents something special and she was going to help me shop. She loved to shop and I hated it. However, she was also really good at it, so with her help, I would finish much faster. We were leaving the mall, purchases in hand and we had covered almost all the immediate family. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Bella. I thought I saw her, at least. When I turned to look, there was no one there, she was gone and I guess I had just imagined it.

We took the gifts to my house and Jasper came over and we had dinner and laughed and talked while we wrapped gifts. My sister had made it her personal business to see that I had a Christmas tree this first year in my new home, and I had agreed. She had, after all, done all the decorating, she and mom, and all I had to do was buy it and set it up in the house. They had done an amazing job, and my little cabin was transformed into a wonderland of twinkling lights on the mantle, the tree, and even some of the walls were hung with garland.

They had tried to get me to let them decorate my bedroom but I put my foot down and had allowed no one in there since Jake had commented on my bed. I just didn't want to hear it.

There were Christmas cookies and decorations all over the pediatric floor in the hospital. I snagged a cookie or two as I went to check on little Carla Black, Jake's' daughter. I was hoping to send her home before Christmas and the timing was getting close. I was off in my own world, thinking of anything else i could do for the child as I stepped out of the doctors lounge just in time to see the elevator close.

"Bella," I exclaimed.

I tore down the stairs and looked everywhere on the ground floor. The staff thought I had gone mad, but she was no where to be found either there or in the parking lot! I must be going crazy. She couldn't possible be here and overlooked, not with even the detective I had hired looking for her and all the hours he had been putting in lately. I had to get a grip on myself, I was definitely loosing it. I just needed my wife back.

I gave up and went back to the floor to see little Carla. When I got near her room I heard a loud thud. Leah was on the floor and her slacks were wet and bloody. I called for a nurse and we got her onto the cart and rushed her to an exam room. Her obstetrician was in the hospital and there almost as soon as I paged him. As her doctor took over and I called Jake. I was the closest thing the town had to a neonatologist, so I remained at the hospital in the waiting room with Jake and to check on the baby once it was delivered. Good thing. It was touch and go for the infant for the better part of the night. It was a little girl and she had coded twice . . . twice in her first 6 hours of life we almost lost her. I stayed in the unit with her, stroking her cheek while she lay in the incubator for minutes at a time, leaving only to let Jake know how she was doing and to check on Leah who was recovering nicely. I had been stroking Baby Girl Black's cheek for I don't know how long and had let myself get lost in my thoughts about the little girl I almost had. I looked up to see Jake watching me through the window. I went to the observation area to see him and he put his hand on my shoulder . . . he was comforting me.

**BPOV**

It was quiet on the beach tonight, the waves crashing rhythmically against the shore. I never came out till the wee hours of the morning when I was sure no one would be here. I didn't want to see any other person, subject any other person to me. I was a taker, a black hole. I sucked in lives.

I had never been much on being around a lot of people. My Mom had left me when I was small, but had come back a few years ago, wanting us to take her back. Charlie was a kind man, but he didn't talk much and he was uncomfortable showing or being around any emotion at all. We never touched, though he spoke softly and seemed to care for me. I felt like my existence had ruined both of their young lives, forcing them to marry.

I never had friends, I never dated.

James had been so insistent that I go out with him. He asked for months on end, everyday. Finally I gave in and we started going to dinner and movies and I finally let him kiss me. We didn't mean to get pregnant, it was just another example of my being needy and sucking the life out of someone else. This time I didn't just ruin his life, I took his life. He ended up dying. I should have died, too. To make matters worse, I then proceeded to suck the time, freedom and money out of his friend, Edward.

My Edward. God, I loved him so. My husband.

I loved him more than my own live . . . so I had to leave. I had to protect him from the hurt I always brought to people close to me. I stayed completely away from people now, I ordered what I needed on line and had it shipped to me. I lived through the stories I wrote. Stories of romance, of love lost, of pain. I was quite good at it. I started by writing small stories on an Internet site called fan-fiction. It was just to clear my mind, to keep me busy. There were so many favorable reviews, one day an editor for a large clearing house left a review and asked me to call her. I called Ms. Volturi and the rest, as they say, is history. I had found a way to support myself. My books were now on the New York Times best seller list.

New York . . . God how I missed him. I wondered what became of him, where he was.

I chuckled at how I had felt awkward living in a nice condo and not having to watch my pennies. I had more funds than I could possible need now and I understood how it had meant nothing to Edward. It had nothing to do with being happy . . . nothing. I missed my fantasy like canopied bed. I missed Edward. I had fallen more in love with him that I had known it was possible to be. He was so wonderful to me, I had to free him of the burden, free him of his promise to James . . . I just had not known it would be so hard.

I left whatever was alive inside of me there, in New York that day.

I tried to let go of him. The latest book I had written was actually the story of our lives that summer. It told of a young girl, her first love and the man that would step in and save her from despair. It told of the heartache of leaving him. It had a happily ever after though, an ending I could never have. I stood and looked out into the blackness of the night ocean, the waves lapping gently at my feet as the sun started to rise. I saw someone approaching, out for a morning jog from way down the beach near the other houses. I headed in towards my study and more writing to immerse myself in a life I didn't have.

**Jake POV**

I watched through the nursery window as my friend stroked the tiny baby in the incubator on the cheek. He had not left her since she was born. It was an experience I had never had with a doctor, but this was Edward and the baby was my daughter. He was my best friend. I had made promises, lots of promises of secrecy to my friend Bella. Promises about not telling anyone her whereabouts, not letting it out that I knew anything about her at all. In reality, I emailed her often, chatting for long minutes on the Internet. I knew as I watched Edwards pained face, his expression of longing in the way he stroked my daughter . . . I had to help him. They just needed a nudge. They both missed the other terribly. They were in love and apart and I saw no reason for all the suffering.

She was just too stubborn for her own good.

I went to the gift store downstairs, determined to bring Leah flowers and saw Bella's latest book. She wrote under the pen name Jaymee Rose and allowed no photos of the author to accompany the book. Leah had read it last week before she had the baby and told me it was their story. Their story with a happy ending. She had begged me to do something for them, anything. Edward had saved our daughter and I was going to save him. I could not betray a promise to Bella, but I had to help Edward.

I waited by the nursery till I saw Edward making his rounds. He was releasing my girls today, all of them. It was 3 days till Christmas eve and I was so excited.

"Jake, how are you today? Are you excited about taking your girls home with you?" he asked.

"You know I am. Thanks for everything, Edward. I can never repay you for finding Leah and taking care of my little one. I know you never left the hospital those first few days and I will always owe you for that. I have something for you."

I took the paperback out of my back pocket and handed it to him. He looked at me like I was nuts.

"Jake, what the hell would I want with a romance novel? Do I need to pull your man card, are you for real reading these things?" Edward said, incredulous that I would hand him such a thing.

"Read it, Edward. Just read the damned thing, promise me."

"Fine, fine, but you re loosing it. I thought it was just me but if you are for real reading this romance shit you're worse off than I am. Maybe living with so many females has gone to your head," he laughed.

"Promise me. Tonight. It's important. You wanted me to help you and this is me helping."

**EPOV**

Jake walked away to join his family. I shook my head as I continued to laugh, finishing up my charting. Both Carla and the new baby had improved over the few days and I was ready to release them both. Jake and Leah were so excited and I was so happy for them. I helped put their belongings on the carts to take to the car and noticed a card hanging from one of the vases with a familiar handwriting. I stood with the small card in my hand in disbelief. It was from Bella. I took the card and the envelope and stuffed it quickly into my jacket pocket. I didn't care if it was sneaky, here my friend had known what I was going through . . . known how I felt and he could have contacted her for me. He could have bloody fucking well told me. I signed the release forms and left without saying a word. As I walked toward the parking lot I reached into the pocket of my lab coat looking for the card I had taken from Leah's room. I dropped the book Jake had given me in the process and as I picked it up, I glanced at the cover and stopped . . .

Dead.

The book was called "25 Fifth Avenue" with a photo on the front of the condominium building where I used to live in New York. I ran towards the patient exit in the front of the hospital to see if I could catch Jake before he drove away - I had to ask him what he knew, but I saw him pull out into traffic as I bounded out the front door. It was then I noticed the author of the book -

Jaymee Rose.

Dear God, what was he trying to tell me. He was trying to let me know something, but what? He had said that this was him helping me. Could I be that stupid? I found the address of the florist on the card I had taken from Leah's room and hurried to the store across town.

A small bribe to the girl at the flower shop indicated on the card got me Bella's address. Seems Bella had used a credit card to pay for the flowers and that required a billing address. I starred in disbelief. The address listed was the house on the beach a few doors down from mine . . . the brown haired girl Jasper spoke of . . .

I could not get home fast enough.

I read the book, finishing in the wee hours of the morning. I could hardly breath for the tears that flowed freely down my cheeks. She loved me. If this book said anything, anything at all, it was that she loved me and had left to protect me, to keep me from sacrificing my life for a promise I had made to my friend. She didn't know I loved her, wanted her more than anything in the world. I had to go to her, I had to let her know that I felt the same about her that she did about me.

I walked out and sat down in the surf to watch the sunrise. The sun started to rise and as I looked down the beach. I saw the girl - the author that would not date anyone. Jasper had told me of her, a pretty, busty small brunette. I strained to make out her features as she head to her house.

Determined to make sure, I rejected the idea of knocking on the door, I didn't want to make her run away and I had to think. I needed to be sure it was her so I called the Realtor I had bought my house from and had her look up the ownership of the house at that address. Swan, it was listed in the name of Swan. Oh God, . . . it was her. There was no longer any doubt. The tax records naming the owner of the house as Bella Swan, the address on the credit card the flowers were bought with complete with her handwriting and the book telling the world that she loved me . . . it was my Bella and she had waited for me.

I had the day off, then I worked two shifts, then I was off till Christmas. I became a stalker. I borrowed Emmett's binoculars and watched her house like a hawk. I noted the car she drove and what time she hit the beach in the mornings. In my mind, a plan was forming . . .

In the wee hours of Christmas Eve I watched and waited for her to go for a walk on the beach with her dog. When she got a ways down the beach, I quickly slipped in her backdoor and left my note to her on the floor under her tree. I sat the blue bear on the note, her rings still hung from the bow around his neck. It seemed off that there were no other presents under the tree, but i figured that she must have everything sent directly to the recipients online. I managed to leave undetected, catching a glance at her at fairly close range.

It was my Bella.


	8. Chapter 8 by Lynzi Merry Christmas

**Disclaimer:** All the Twilight stuff belongs to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. I'm just playing in her sandbox.

Chapter 8 By Lynzi I Wish You A Merry Christmas

BELLA

Christmas morning, big deal, I wish I could get into the spirit of things but what's the point? Charlie and his new wife Sue Clearwater have invited me for Christmas lunch and dinner. I tried begging off, novel to finish, deadline to meet, but they sent Jake to knock at my door and tell me there were no excuses that would be valid on Christmas Day.

I am just going to spoil the day for them all, let's face it.

I had dreamed of a Christmas with Edward . . . what it would have been like that first year in New York. If I really had been carrying a child, if I had stayed . . .

_Edward woke me with a kiss and whispered in my ear._

_"Santa has been, go look in your stocking."_

_We hadn't been married long at all and I didn't expect any gifts from him , so I walked our to our silver and red decorated tree and laughed at the two stockings beneath it. One was marked Bella, the other Baby's First Christmas. Mine was a lot smaller than hers but as I found out, sometimes the best things come in the smallest packages._

_I opened the baby's stocking first, and pulled out a jumble of tiny dresses, a pink handmade blanket with her name embroidered on one corner, a matching blue blanket with "Jameson" on it's corner and a couple of tiny blue suits. The toys were all non gender specific. I smiled at Edward. It was the 'just in case Bella is wrong" blanket, for our son, if he turned up instead of the girl I was sure I was carrying. I was so grateful he was willing to name the baby after James, even though he was the one burdened with raising it as his own._

_I opened my stocking, the first item was a pair of 'Magic Panties', designed to keep your belly flat and in check at all times. I looked at him and he laughed._

_"Joke. Seeing your belly will soon be too large for any panties to hide the truth."_

_Okay._

_Next was a bottle of the most expensive bubble bath on the planet and I growled at him._

_"That stuff is supposed to soothe and ease every pain known to man, or pregnant woman, wait until you can't see your feet,and your ankles are swollen and sore, then you will bless me for that and be begging for more."_

_He smirkd, and I got the hidden joke._

_I couldn't imagine me begging Edward for more anything at that stage._

_A small box of the most delicious Swiss chocolates, my mouth watered at the sight._

_I opened them and stuffed two into my mouth and crawled over and pushed two into his._

_"Mmmmm.' he moaned, and I was shocked when my ladies parts reacted at the raw and feral sound he made. I shifted uncomfortably._

_"I get the rest." I snarled and he reached under the tree and pulled out a large blue boxfull, with "For Edward ONLY" written on the lid._

_"Damn, are you sure that doesn't say 'For Bella only'? Maybe Santa spelled my name wrong."_

_"Oh no, these chocolates are for me, but I shall give you two, seeing you gave me two of yours." he chuckled._

_"Wait, I got a box of six and I gave you two. So, I gave you one third of my chocolates." I challenged._

_"No way, Wifey, you are not getting a third of my bounty. This is all Santa bought me." he pouted._

_I stood and went to our bedroom and retrieved the gift I had bought the day before, unsure whether we were doing gifts and on impulse and I grabbed the scarf I had knitted and had chickened out of giving him. I wrapped it around the gift and walked back and handed to him silently._

_He raised his eyebrows, surprise, and grinned, then unwrapped the scarf. I had knitted it in a variegated green wool that had every shade of green he had in his eyes and as he wound it around his neck, his eyes shone and glowed against it. Even his copper hair seemed brighter now._

_I suddenly wished my baby would have those eyes and that hair and shook myself, shocked at my betrayal of James._

_He opened the box and smiled as he took out the silver name bracelet with his name engraved on the plate. I couldn't afford much, but it was quality and had just about depleted my savings._

_"Thank you, Bella." he said quietl, and I scuttled closer and did it up around his wrist._

_His eyes returned to it throughout the day and I was glad I had made the effort, even if I had left it until the last minute._

_"Open yours." he said with a cheeky grin and I feared what would be inside the blue velvet box, the very last thing in the toe of my stocking. At least, if it's a joke, it's too small to hold a vibrator. I wouldn't have put that past him, he had a whacky sense of humor._

_I opened it and gasped at the bracelet inside. It was a solid gold circle with a small, crystal heart hanging from the edge._

_On the outside, it was engraved with tiny roses and blue birds, with the smallest blue stones for their eyes. Inside, it said "Thank you Bella for having our baby...Edward and James."_

_"Don't think that didn't get me some strange looks. When I dictated the words, the girl said "Oh, I just love how women are willing to surrogate for gay male couples now." It was kind of humiliating, I didn't know what to say. I thought 'No, she is having the baby for me and my friend' just made it worse. Like I was in gay denial."_

_I laughed out loud, oh to have been a fly on the wall during that conversation._

_It had been a nice day, I had enjoyed myself and Edward proved to be not too bad in the kitchen. My nausea prevented me handling raw food, especially poultry, so he cooked the turkey with all the trimmings and I got to eat it. He wore that scarf for ages._

I had to stop daydreaming. Edward and I had never gotten to enjoy a Christmas together, and I had to stop fantasying about it.

When you don't know what life could be like, you have no idea what you are missing. Now I know, more than most. I pulled my quilt around my shoulders and went to sit beside my tree, a small but pretty concession to the day.

There were no presents under it. We would be doing the gift exchange at Charlie's and my gift's to them were all safely in the trunk of my car.

I helped myself to a brandy, yes, I know, but rules apply to normal people, not the lonely and broken.

I sat and blinked in surprise at the small blue bear. I chuckled, Jake! Of course, I should have never let him inside my house, he had snuck a bear under my tree for me.

Strange gift.

He knew me well and knew I was not one of those females who collected dolls and bears and crap like that. My house was fairly bare, I never felt the need to add the dried flower arrangements and the pretty curtains and table cloths. My windows were covered with practical black out drapes, to keep prying eyes from seeing inside, maybe seeing me.

I wanted the message loud and clear, stay away, do not enter.

Jake had assured me they all got the picture and said he had searched for the perfect housewarming gift for me and he had tossed a mat outside my front door. Instead of the usual "Welcome" written on the mat, it had "Fuck Off..Yes, This Means You". I had blushed madly, suddenly aware nobody would ever even read it, nobody had ever approached my front door. They all knew without words that I wasn't lending them a cup of sugar or going to their Tupperwear parties or inviting them in for a coffee.

I picked up the blue bear and stared, unbelieving, at the ribbon around it's neck and the rings hanging from it.

I stood and shook in terror. What does this mean?

Not Jake, Edward.

Edward had been inside my house.

I dropped the bear and ran to check, my doors were locked.

Kismet lay sleeping across the Unwelcome mat and she lifted her head and opened one beady eye, the blue one, then shut it again when she saw I was not in my dog walking clothes and it was not dinner time, the only two times she cared to be in my company.

Yes, I was that isolated and unfriendly, even my dog felt the 'go away' vibes I radiated.

I opened the front door and stepped over her and scanned the beach. I was being silly, he could have been here anytime, maybe the bear had lain there for days. I left the door open for Kismet to let herself in.

I went back inside and picked it up. A blue bear? What did it signify?

I choked as I thought, maybe he meant to remind me of the baby we almost had.

Jaymee Rose, who had given me my pen name.

Was the bear for her?

I hugged it tightly to my chest, it smelled of him, of Edward.

How long had he held it, for it to absorb his scent?

"Edward." I sobbed.

"Bella" a velvety voice replied and I turned around, frozen in shock.

His hair was the same, copper, messy, soft, inviting my fingers to grab and . . .

His eyes were fixed on mine and I forgot to breathe.

He looked older, tireder, purple edged under his eyes. His face was thinner than I remembered.

"Did you read the note?' he asked, his face anxious.

"Note?"

I looked around and saw the small scrap of notepaper.

It was written in his beautiful script and the tears made the words waver in and out of focus.

He strode to my side and took it from me, dropping it on the floor.

"It doesn't matter, I'm here now."

I looked at his eyes and wondered what it meant.

"Bella, God, my Bella, I missed you so fucking much."

His arms were around me, pulling me into his body. I resisted, I have not felt the touch of another human for so long now, my body had no idea what to do and I froze there, standing stiffly.

I heard him sigh.

Edward pulled us to the couch and sat down, sitting me on his knee.

I frowned, perplexed. We didn't do things like this, even back then. We had shared a bed, but not many touches.

His mouth nuzzled my throat and I whimpered.

For some reason, I raised my head and allowed him closer access and he started kissing my throat, across my collarbone. His lips felt so warm, so comforting on this day that meant so much to many and so sad and lonely to many others.

"Edward." I breathed out.

My hands dropped the bear and found themselves in his hair, pulling, grabbing, feeling.

God, I was feeling!

I hadn't felt anything in so long, I thought my heart may just jump out of my chest and lay before him where he would see it, exposed and beating again after all these years.

He looked up and caught my hungry gaze and suddenly I was sliding, lying flat on the couch and his lips were tearing at mine . . . and mine were devouring his, hungry, anxious, needy, wanting more.

James had been the only man my body had ever known and those two times had been unexpected. Suddenly he was inside me, no words, no asking for permission, his fingers were exploring.

As if he read my mind, Edward raised his eyebrows and moved away from my face, looking intently at me.

"Bella, say no and I will stop."

I will be damned if that will be happening, my long dead ladies parts were singing the hallelujah chorus, they would drop off, seal up, if I let this opportunity slip away.

"Yes." I choked out, my eager legs parting, my body grinding against his, leaving no room for doubt what the consent was for.

"Bella, I love you." he whispered and I shook my head . . . trying to clear it of the hallucination that he had spoken those words.

I knew they were not true, he didn't love me, he probably hated me even more than ever.

But his body was saying something different.

Maybe he hadn't been laid in a while.

Maybe his supply of eager women were all away for the holidays?

What did I care?

He was with me, wanting me and I was not going to resist.

I felt his hand, his long fingers, pull at my flannel pajama pants and they fell away. I kicked them off my feet and shut my eyes and just allowed myself to feel him as he stroked my neglected folds and slid a finger inside, touching my sex, warm, wet and waiting.

I moaned as he reached my clit, it had lived for this moment in time.

"Edward." I sighed.

His fingers were awakening things that had slept far too long. Each passing , his fingertips barely touched my clit and it felt like it was being grazed by an electric current.

I reveled in the jolt, raised my body to meet the next and the next.

His lips descended onto mine again and I responded hungrily, rolling my tongue around his, sucking his tongue into my mouth, holding it prisoner.

I pressed my sex against his body and felt his hardness. My hand reached to free it from his pants and I impatiently reached inside the fabric, damn clothes, why don't joggers just go naked?

He helped them off his body and kicked them free and I stroked his length, shuddering at the pleasure he was promising with his hand.

He removed his fingers and I growled, without thought.

No, not stopping now.

I opened my eyes and my glare softened at the green eyes that stared into mine with such love, such longing it made my heart squeeze.

I guided him to my entrance and he kissed me gently.

"Are you sure, Bella?" he whispered.

"God yes, please, please Edward." I answered, and felt him push closer, stroking with his erection as I opened to him like the petals of a flower, blooming in the warm Summer sun.

He entered inside me and I bucked against him, I wanted that feeling back, that feeling his fingers had promised would be mine.

He rocked in and out and my clit sought friction and I tried to force it closer.

His hands were suddenly under my butt cheeks, pulling me close and I felt the thrill of the jolt as we connected like this for the first time and I writhed against him, needy, hoping, wanting...

The explosion blinded me as the colors lit up the darkness behind my eyelids.

"Bella, God, Bella." I heard him cry as he pumped erratically and I felt him release inside me as my own orgasm still clenched and pulsed pure Heaven through my starving soul.

"Edward, my Edward." I softly said, not caring this was no doubt a one time deal. I wanted my money's worth. I wanted my fantasy, my dream, my pretend world, where he loved me as much as I loved him, and I had it for a little while, I could change history, I could invent whatever I needed to.

He lay on top of me, his body warm and still. Maybe he didn't want to look and see me, know it was me he had taken to the Heavens with him.

I stroked my fingers down his spine. He was mine for now, I can touch, I can dream.

Reality raised it's ugly head.

"Edward, I need to...bathroom."

He rolled off me and I stood, my jello legs shaky and I hurried out, never looking back.

My ladies parts smarted, it had been years since they were invaded, I turned the shower on and allowed the soft warm water to ease the stinging.

It felt like he had grazed me inside, but I loved the pain, it was proof I had not drunk a half bottle of brandy and imagined the whole thing.

I grabbed a towel, and dried my body as quickly as I could, threw a little talc over my shoulder, felt the soft grains hit my back, and hurried out, clean, eager, and ready to continue this in the comfort of my bed. Thank God I was so OCD, my sheets were never on my bed more than a single night without being changed. He would not be able to detect the aroma of the dreams I had of him and I together, that made my body come as I slept, night after night.

The realty was so much better than the dreams had been, they had to be based on my own imagination, now I knew what it was like to make love with him, they would be all the more sweeter, more real.

I looked in shock, my sitting room was empty, my front door open. Kismet sat, looking up toward the road and I heard a car pull away quickly.

I could not see it, the way my house was built lower than the road , so I ran up the shifting sand and forgot my nakedness, as I stood, staring at the tail lights receeding in the early morning mist.

My heart plummeted and I slowly became aware, here I was, Bella Swan, well Bella Cullen really, he had never sent the annulment to Charlie, naked and unashamed, the recluse who rarely walked outside, now showing everything she had.

I turned and blushed as I saw Jasper Whitlock as he stopped his jogging along the waterline and waved, chuckling at my lack of clothing.

"Nice morning." he called and shook his head, "Merry Christmas, Bella."

I blushed and waved as I ran inside.

The man had barely seen my face before, now he had seen every inch of me, but I couldn't find it in myself to care.

I lay in my bed and poured another brandy in a toast.

"Merry Christmas, Bella."

No matter what material gifts my extended family handed me today, my body still tingled from the one Edward had given me.

Before he ran from me, like I had once run from him.

xXx oOo xXx

EDWARD

I switched in a single second from lover to doctor as Jake threw Bella's front door open wider and ran inside.

"Edward, it's the baby. Leah found her this morning, in the crib. I don't think she is breathing!"

I threw my shorts on as we ran, his car was idling at the curb and I was in the passenger door in seconds.

Jake tore away, driving erratically.

"Slow down, don't kill us both." I cautioned. We were no use to his baby girl dead.

"Tell me everything. Have you called 911? The hospital?"

"Your father, I thought that would be quickest, you didn't answer." he accused.

"The ambulance is on the way but I couldn't just stand there, doing nothing."

He hit the brakes and the car swerved to a stop and we bolted inside.

Leah stood, pale and shaking, the baby on the table in front of her. Carlisle was breathing into her mouth, his fingers tapping her tiny chest.

"Dad, let me."

I knew how exhausting it was and he took over compressions as I tried to breathe life back into the tiny baby in front of us.

Sudenly she coughed and cried weakly, then more strongly, indignant at the rough treatment.

Carlisle stopped and picked her up and handed her quickly pinking up body to me.

He placed his stethoscope on her naked chest.

Leah was wailing as loudly as the baby. Jake had his arms wrapped around her, trying to comfort her.

"Quiet." barked my father, his voice harsh in need to hear the baby's heartbeat.

His usual calm, serene bedside manner had deserted him.

Leah silenced and Carlisle listened and started smiling.

"Crisis over. She feels hot, I suspect she has that virus Carla had. She will have to be admitted, kept under observation."

The ambulance screeched to a halt and the paramedics ran in.

I handed the baby over to them and faced Jake and Leah.

"Sometimes, when a newborn or baby this young, gets a virus, it can make her forget to breathe."

"Will she be okay?" Jake asked, his face ashen, his eyes desperate for my answer.

"Probably. Leah must have found her very soon after she stopped breathing. She will need tests but the way she is bellowing, I don't think there is much to worry about." I comforted them.

Cralisle turned and approached Leah, his hands reaching for hers.

"Sorry, I couldn't hear over your cries, I had to know..."

"We understand." said Jake hurriedly. "thank you both, so much. What happens now?"

"She will be taken into hospital and admitted, Edward will order an IV of antibiotics and we will watch her closely. The crisis is over, she will be on an apnea monitor, but don't panic. This is more common than you realize. Small babies, especially those whose entrance to the world was as abrupt as hers, they can be a little sensitive and unstable in stressful situations. We will get that temp down and she will improve rapidly." he promised.

Leah and I headed to the ambulance and climbed in the back. I watched the monitor but her wails told me she was handling it okay.

The drip was hard to insert, in a hand that small, but my head nurse accomplished it far quicker and better than I ever would and Carlisle walked in, having followed the ambulance with Jake.

We watched the monitors and I checked her color. She looked a hell of a lot better already and as the medicine hit her system, her temperature dropped to normal again and she slept calmly.

Her parents were a different story. Leah could not leave the baby's side. Christmas was all but a distance memory. Esme was staying with the other children, I had barely noticed her there in my haste to help my father save the small infant.

"You go and enjoy Christmas with the family, I'll stay here", I said to Carlisle. Nothing could touch on the gift I had already received, I really didn't care about missing the family togetherness thing.

I sat by the cot and looked at the tiny child that Jake and Leah had created. Her life had hung in the balance but now you would never know it. She was awake, sucking her tiny unfettered fist like her life depended on it, then the demanding screams started.

Food, now, Mother.

Feed me.

That's how it is with babies, a deathly crisis one moment, a hungry, indignant baby the next.

I lifted her and carefully made sure I wasn't tangling any of the leads and lay her in her mother's arms.

"I doubt I will even have any milk after that scare", said Leah, putting the hungry infant to her breast.

Jake rubbed his wife's back and kissed the top of her head.

"She needs you and you will have what she wants, you will see."

The furious sucking suddenly changed to the sound of a greedy mouth finding fulfillment and Leah relaxed.

I sat and watched and envied them. It sounds ridiculous, with what they just went through, but seeing them pull together in a crisis, I wanted a relationship like that, not one where the other ran, disappeared at the first sign of bad luck.

Would Bella and I ever be as strong as this pair?

God, I hoped so.

"How did you know where to find me, Jake?" I asked suddenly.

"Christmas morning, we all are with the ones we love the most if it is humanly possible." he answered. "I knew exactly where you would be. I'm just glad I arrived when I did."

I grinned ruefully at him.

"Me too, to be honest."

"Yes, finding your best friend and doctor naked on your other lifelong friend's sofa..." he joked.

Leah grinned.

"Good one, Doc. So, you and Bella, you are back together?"

I sighed and stretched, my body sliding forward on the metal chair.

"I hope so, Leah. I hope so with all my heart."

Esme brought the the other three children in and they all talked and showed their parents and sister what Santa had left, and Esme assured the parents she had fed them a proper breakfast before any candy crossed their lips, and I wondered if this would ever be me, the dad with the excited, happy kids. I want that, but I only want it with one woman and for now, I don't really know where we stand.

"Jake, I need Bella's phone number." I said quietly. He tossed me his cellphone and I walked into the corridor and hit send on her name.

"Hi Jake, when are you and Leah getting here? Sue and Charlie will open the kids presents themselves if you don't hurry up." chirped Bella.

"Bella, it's Edward." I said.

She was silent but I hear her breath hitch.

"Edward. What's happened?"

"Cindy had an episode of apnea, she is fine now, she has a virus and will be in hospital for a few days observation but she is okay. Jake came and got me, from your place while you were in the shower. It was an emergency, I'm sorry I didn't have time to explain."

"No, Edward, it's fine. She will be okay? My God, who has the other children?"

"Esme stepped in but I expect you will want to take them now. They are here with Jake and Leah. I don't think those two will leave Cindy alone today."

"I will be right there. Thank you, Edward." she said, and hung up.

I was relieved, I guess I half expected her to have packed and run again.

She walked into the room and went to the crib and smiled at a rosy cheeked but happy Cindy.

"Way to grab all the attention", she said, lovingly touching the baby's cheek with one finger.

The fear I had seen clearly had left her eyes, once she saw the baby for herself. She handed Jake and Leah a pile of small gifts.

"For Cindy, yours will be waiting under Charlie and Sue's tree until you get out of here", she said.

Leah smiled at Jake and held his hand.

"Well, Cindy Sue, let's see what you got. Oh Bella, that's gorgeous, thank you."

The gift unwrapping went on and Bella walked over to me and bent to kiss me on the cheek.

I looked at her in surprise. I sort of expected her ignore me, or pretend nothing had happened.

"Don't worry, I know this morning didn't mean anything", she said.

I stood and pulled her out of the room, leaning her against the wall in the corridor.

"It meant something to me, I'm sorry you don't feel the same", I said, my hands on the wall on each side of her face, trapping her there.

She blushed.

"What will your ladies say?" she asked me.

"What ladies?" I asked, puzzled.

"Oh sorry, wife, girlfriend, significant other?"

"I hope my WIFE will be waiting for me tonight when I leave here and need to celebrate Christmas", I answered.

"You are married?" she said, her eyes filling with tears, her voice wavering.

"Bella, we never got divorced or annulled or whatever. You are still my wife and I love you. I wish I had told you that before. Why did you leave me?"

She dropped her eyes and I lifted her chin and made her keep eye contact again.

"I didn't think it was fair, making you have to stay tied to me, when you had a life already, before you kept your promise to James."

"What about my promise to you and yours to me? To live together in marriage, to love, comfort, honor and keep ourselves only for each other, in sickness and in health?"

She looked puzzled.

"I meant every word, even if you didn't", I said, pulling away, angry now.

"It wasn't just some promise to James, he was dead. I grew to love you. I lived for the nights when you slept beside me, when you said my name in your sleep, when you admitted you loved me. I loved you, too, Bella. I still do. This morning was the realization of many dreams for me, not some quick fuck."

She blushed and looked at the ground.

I turned and went back to my job.

Clearly I had just exposed myself to a woman who didn't want to hear it.

I felt so vulnerable, opening myself up like that, I guess I read more into this morning than was really there.

BELLA

I quickly gathered the children and kissed Jake and Leah and avoided looking at Edward.

I don't know how to step back into what we were before. I have been alone all this time, years, I want things, I want him, I think.

I do.

I think I do.

I think maybe we can try?

Charlie and Sue took over, and paper and presents covered the floor and noisy trucks and singing unicorns and squalling baby dolls invaded the sitting room, and I plastered a smile on my face.

I mechanically wiped sticky hands and faces, and poured water for thirsty children, hoping to dilute the sugar intake, and helped them cut their turkey and ham.

I wasn't sure what to do, Sue could look after the children, there was no question about that but if I left, if I went home, and Edward came, or didn't come, what would it mean?

I ended up deciding to sleep on Charlie's couch, but sleep evaded me, and I left around midnight and drove home. My house was dark and quiet and Kismet stood and nudged me as I unlocked the front door.

I patted her head and she looked through her long hair, her brown and blue eyes questioning.

"It's been a long day, I will take you for a quick walk, and I stole all sorts of bad food for you, turkey the kids didn't finish, gravy, let's not tell the vet."

She thumped her tail and I emptied the contents of the plastic container into her dish.

They were instantly inhaled and we walked together, towards the other houses, and I paused in front of the house I expected was Edward's now.

He sat on his front step, only the red glowing end of his cigarette showing in the dark.

"Merry Christmas, Edward." I said softly, not knowing if I even wanted him to hear me.

He stood, and stubbed the glow out and walked inside, letting his door bang closed behind him, loud in the silence of the night.

I was pleased in a way when Angela pulled up and ran inside the next morning.

"Grab your emergency bag, you have a date with Oprah!" she squealed.

I looked stunned. "Oprah?"

"She loves your book, all your books, she wants you on her New Years show, live. We have to go, I have booked us tickets, we are going to Chicago!"

I went and grabbed my bag and then called Jasper.

"Hiya, can you feed my dog for me, I have a date with Oprah! Yes, Oprah Winfrey, is there another one? You have my key still? Thanks, Jasper, I owe you, big time. Kisses to Alice."

Oh yes, I may be a recluse but I am not blind.

Angela had arranged a couple of book signings and so my days were a flurry of going from one shop to another, and somehow the days turned to weeks as networks took advantage of my rare presence in their area. I chatted, I read, I explained my plots, I refused to talk about my newest book, using the excuse a lot of my readers just got it for Christmas and may not have read it yet.

Weeks merged and time passed and finally we were done.

I woke and felt the dull ache of missing him as always, he had not called and I called Jaz to let him know I was coming back to end his dog sitting duties today.

Jaz sounded strained, I hoped my dog hadn't eaten anyone.

"What's up, Jasper?" I pushed.

"Um, things have changed."

"What things?" I asked.

"Edward, he filed the annulment and ... he got engaged."

I stood still.

"Really? How... nice for him."

"Bella, what the fuck did you do to him?"

"Me? Nothing. I..."

"Well he was sad as Hell when you left and that bloody Jessica has been around providing comfort and support and now she has his grandmother's fucking ring on her finger. You fucked up, big time."

"I..I'm sorry."

"We all heard what you said on Oprah", he added.

"What? I thought it went well."

"That the book was based on a fantasy and there really were rarely happy endings like that in real life and there wasn't one for you and you didn't care because you were proud to be an independent woman who didn't need a man."

"I was on Oprah, she is all about women not needing men. Angela wrote the words, I just read the auto cue."

"Well, you blew it big time, he was cut to the quick. Good one, Bella, I hope you really don't need him because he has finally moved on. Jess will have him down the aisle before you can blink."

I dropped the plastic stick with the pink smiley face into the bin and decided this would remain my secret, no way was I forcing him to marry me again and coming between him and Jess. She was probably better for him anyway, she knew how to share her life properly with a man.

I was never good for him, I know that. I just sucked the good and left the empty space behind me, like some vacuum.

I touched my belly and prayed this time, the baby would grow and develop and be okay.

My baby.

Nobody had to know where she came from, the gossip magazines had already speculated about every man I had dined with since I got here.

If I had slept with all of the men they claimed I had, I was quite the tart.

And I had only ever wanted to be a tart for one man.

xXx oOo XxX

**(Pokes tongue out at Tori...hah, now fix that little mess, but not tooo quickly.)**

_update next weekend, unless the outcry is too much . . . _**  
**


	9. Chapter 9  Mine

**Author's Note:** Okay, okay, okay. I'm not good at waiting either and I hate it when I have to wait an entire week for an update, so here it is a few days early! There are a few of you that have reviewed faithfully and seemed genuinely upset by the turn of events in the last chapter . . . I couldn't let you suffer!

**Disclaimer:** All the Twilight stuff belongs to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. I'm just playing in her sandbox.

**Chapter 9 Mine**

**BPOV**

I hurried to the airport after getting off the phone with Jasper, my heart in my throat. What the hell had I done How could I have just plodded along, day after day, doing just what I was told to do and what was expected of me and let the situation I had left in Forks go untended. I had not heard from him, but I had not called him either. Now Jasper said there was someone else.

Someone else.

I stopped at Jasper's house as I drove home, anxious to get Kismet. Jasper was the only person I knew, other than Jake. Jake had his hands full with the kids and a new baby on the way, so I didn't want to ask him to watch Kismet. Jasper lived on the same beach that she was used to anyway, so she would feel somewhat at home even though I was gone.

When I knocked at the door and Jasper answered, he looked at me with such disgust I could hardly look him in the eye. There was no_ hello_ or _how are you_, just "How could you do this to him, Bella? You knew how he felt about you and you just stomped it on National TV! National TV!" Jaz spat at me. "You told everyone that you didn't believe in happily ever after . . . that it couldn't happen and you were fine without it. What did you expect him to do?"

"He doesn't care for me, Jaz. I left him a note and he never called, he didn't care that I left," I threw back at him angrily, "He is not the only one hurting here!"

"Bella, he totally shut down. He doesn't give a damn what he does or what happens to him . . . just his work, only his work and his patients. Anyone could have their way with him right now and he wouldn't care. He was totally in love with you and you crushed him," Jaz told me.

I turned and stooped down to hug Kismet and put her in the car, tears streaming down my face as I made the short drive up the street to my house.

Kismet ran out on the beach when I opened the car door and I walked to the water's edge waiting for her before going into the cottage, Jasper's words playing over and over in my ear. Why had I not gone in after Edward on Christmas when he was sitting on his porch smoking? Why had I allowed this to continue? I was so sure I was bad for whoever was around me that I hadn't let anyone near and now I feared I was loosing the one person who meant everything to me.

Everything.

I loved him so much, he would be so happy to know we were having a child . . .

My house was none the worse for wear, having in fact been cleaned during my absence. Jake had taken my tree down for me and put everything away in the attic. It was all I could do not to crumble to pieces just being in this room . . . remembering the last time I was here, the sofa . . . Edward . . .

I dropped my keys and purse on my kitchen counter and paused to read the small note there, stopping in my tracks. Dear God, it was from Edward . . . I would recognize that elegant script anywhere. It was the note that had been with the bear Christmas morning. I had never read it. Edward had asked me if I read his note, them told me it didn't matter because he was there now. Jake must have found the note and left it on the counter for me to see . . .

_Dear Bella,_

_I know that you didn't trick me. We both thought you were expecting James' baby. I wish you had been. I had dreamed of holding her in my arms, too. I spoke with your ob gyn and he explained what happened. I wish you had come home and told me so that we could have comforted each other. I would have stayed with you regardless. I miss you. I miss saying "Good morning wife!" when I first raise my head from my pillow and I really miss your saying "Goodnight husband" and you kissing my lips. I miss snuggling beside you with my arms around your warm body to sleep. I love you. I should have told you. I saved all the baby stuff, it's in storage waiting and hoping that one day our child can use it. My wedding ring is on my finger where you placed it and yours are worn by a little blue teddy bear, waiting for you. You asked me not to look for you. I can't do that. I need you._

_I am only yours,_

_Your husband, Edward_

I read and reread the note, tears filling my eyes. Had I known I would have realized that the sex we shared Christmas morning was not just an empty fuck to Edward, I would have known how very much it meant to him. God, how could I have been so stupid? It must have cut him to the core when I asked him about other women after he clearly wrote that there was only me for him in the note. Shit! If I had only thought to read the damned note.

He really, truly did love me . . . and me alone.

I was so upset when I had seen him in the hospital on Christmas, so insecure about myself and so sure he didn't love me the way I loved him, so unable to let myself dream that he returned my feelings that I didn't realize it was the wedding ring that I had given him that was still on his finger.

I had asked him about his other women. God, no wonder he had gotten so angry . . . he must have been so hurt. I had to fix this, I had to take a chance no matter how hard it was. He had to know how I felt, that I loved him. I retrieved the little blue bear off my bed and untied the rings that hung from his bow. I placed my wedding rings back where they belonged, on the finger where Edward had placed them. He was MY husband, I was having our child and I would fight for him . . . I would do anything for him.

Things had gone terribly wrong last time by running from Edward and not discussing things with him and that was not going to happen again. I walked Kismet toward his house, up on the porch and knocked on the door. It was late, well . . . it was almost sunrise and I was sure he was asleep in bed. I was sure he was alone - I had peeked in the window before knocking, wanting to make sure I was talking to just him and that his reactions would not be affected by someone else's presence. In truth, I just want to know that he was alone, that Jessica wasn't there with him.

"Bella, what are you doing here?" he asked, standing in the door in his flannel pajama pants. The same pajama pants that hung low on his hips that he always used to wear to bed with me. He looked thinner, but as gorgeous as ever.

"Good morning husband." I said as I walked past him into the house. He was clearly surprised by my actions. I didn't wait to be invited in for fear of him shutting the door in my face or telling me to leave before I had the chance to talk to him.

I stopped dead. The room was the same as our apartment in New York. I couldn't move. I couldn't breath. I might loose any dignity I ever had and be thrown out on my face, but I had to be honest in what I had to say and my reactions. I turned to face him.

"Can we sit and talk?" I asked, tears streaming down my face. I was almost hysterical and he could clearly see it. He was stiff and distant but my tears seemed to distress him.

"Bella, calm down," he said as he showed me to the couch. OUR couch. "Tell me what's wrong."

The flood gates opened.

"Edward, things are just so messed up. Everything has gotten out of hand and just gone so wrong."

He eyed me warily, "What do you mean, what are you talking about, has something happened? Are you alright, is Charlie . . .", he asked, distant but concerned.

"Edward," I said turning to him and taking his hands in mine, "I have never been in a relationship before. I just didn't think I deserved you or that I could be good enough for you. After I left the hospital on Christmas, I didn't hide from you or purposefully not come home, I fell asleep on the sofa at my Dad's house."

I looked up at him, willing him to understand, "I wanted you, Edward, I wanted all of you. I'm so sorry I didn't just find you and tell you then. I hadn't read your note and I never imagined that you had feelings for me as I did for you . . . I didn't know that you loved me. I didn't dare to let myself dream that you felt the same for me that I felt for you. When I came to your house, you turned and went inside and slammed the door and I just didn't know what to do . . . so I walked away," I said dropping my gaze to stare at his hands in mine.

"I was so fucking hurt, Bella, I couldn't even speak when I saw you on the beach that night. I put all my feelings out there, bare to you in that note. You asked me about other women when I saw you in the hospital, like I fucked women as a daily occurrence . . . like before we were married. That morning on your sofa had been a dream come true for me and you acted like it clearly meant nothing to you." he said with a small voice as his face dropped.

I scooted closer to him, placing my hands on his cheeks and tipping his face back up so that I could look into his eyes, "Edward, it meant _everything_ to me. I love you. I came out of the shower hoping to continue in my bedroom and you were gone. I had to convince myself that I hadn't been dreaming, that I hadn't made it all up because I missed you and wanted you so badly, even though at the time I thought you just wanted me for the morning. I didn't know that it had meant as much to you as it meant to me."

"When you walked into your house and wouldn't speak to me I should have followed you, I should have made you listen to me. I should have told you how much I loved you, but it seemed then that you didn't want me. I walked home devastated and when my editor unexpectedly came to the house the next morning and told me I was scheduled on Oprah and that we had to leave right away, I was so numb that I didn't even think. I left you a note at my house, thinking you would find it, hoping that if I meant anything to you that you would call me," I told him, willing him to understand.

"Please believe me! I'm so sorry I left without talking to you then, I thought if you wanted to talk to me, you would call after you read my note, but you never called Edward, you never called," I sobbed, becoming more hysterical by the minute and clutching his hands in mine.

His arms were around me, holding me. "Fuck baby, I never got the note. I would so have called. I would have flown to Chicago to stay with you if that's what it took for us to talk," he declared emphatically, rubbing his hands up and down my back seeming to want to comfort me, to hold me.

I stared into his eyes and I saw only sincerity and truth.

"I'm just so sorry I left without talking to you in New York. I'm just so so . . . sorry about so many things," I forced the words out between the sobs, "When I found out there was no baby I fell apart. It felt like I had lost our baby, but it made me feel guilty towards Jame's memory that I thought of the baby as yours."

I clung to him, tears flowing down my face and wetting his chest. I pulled away from him far enough to look into his eyes, he had to see, I had to make him understand, "Edward I have dreamed of nothing but a happy ending for us like I wrote in my book, I want you so badly and I don't care if I'm making a fool of myself or throwing myself at you. You need to know, Edward . . . . I love you. I love you more than anything else in the world and Christmas morning . . . our first time . . . it meant the world to me."

He sat beside me in his sleep pants, bare chested, holding me. His forehead against mine or my face buried in his chest. He was struggling to control his breathing and his emotions. He kept staring at my hand as I gripped his hands. I didn't realize till he started rubbing his thumb over the coarse stones that it was my rings he was staring at. I was wearing my wedding rings on my left hand, where he had put them years ago.

I put my arms around his neck and into his soft hair and kissed him. I kissed him like he had kissed me on Christmas morning, with all the love and passion I felt for this man. He had to know.

"I'm so sorry I made it sound like Christmas on the sofa at my house was just an empty fuck to me, it was everything to me . . . _everything_ . . . I had been dreaming of being with you for weeks before I left New York . . . I was so worried it might not have been that important to you."

I tilted his chin up so that I could look straight into his eyes, "Please be my husband, Edward. I'm still your wife. Give me the chance to show you that I _can_ be good for you, I _can_ be enough. I love you with all that I am. There has been no one but you, Edward. I only want you.

Husband . . . please make love to me again . . ."

He stared into my eyes, his face devoid of expression except for the burning fire in his eyes. Anger, disdain . . . love, passion . . . I couldn't tell. Whatever the emotion was, he was battling to keep it from consuming him.

Before either of us spoke, the front door by the road burst open. He apparently hadn't locked it and Jessica walked in, bubbly and oblivious, announcing that she was surprising him by coming over and cooking breakfast, grocery bags in her arms. She stopped cold when she saw us. I quickly stood to leave but Edward caught my wrist in his hand and said, "No".

He turned and addressed Jessica, "I'm sorry you came all the way out here, Jessica, but I won't be having breakfast with you today or any other day." He turned and looked at me with what could only be described as unbridled love as he continued to speak to her, "My wife has come home."

I was stunned.

She was stunned.

There was a clatter and breaking sound as she dropped the bags and walked towards us. "What the hell do you mean, Cullen? You asked me to marry you and you are not getting out of it that easily," she said with a determined look on her face, her hand on her hip.

"Actually, Jessica, you asked me if I would marry you and you put that ring on your finger to admire it at my parents house when my mother was giving it to me. Just because I didn't make you take it off at that moment didn't mean it was yours or that I would marry you. I am already married to the woman I love and she has come back to me."

He turned to stare directly at me and said, "She is all I'll ever need."

I could barely breath. Jessica's mouth dropped to the floor. She stomped her foot, yes, she actually stomped her little foot like on TV.

"Cullen, why would you choose that mouse over me? Is this why you would never take me to your bed, Edward? Why you wear take that damned ring on that necklace? She left you, she made a fool of you on television for all to see! You don't even know where she has been or what she has been doing for 4 years, Edward, _four years_!"

"Jessica, she was publicizing a book on television. Nothing more. Our private lives are just that, private. It doesn't matter where either of us have been or what we have done while we were apart, we're together now. Put my grandmother's ring on the counter and leave. Never come back. Now!" he said it so menacingly it almost sounded like he growled at her.

As the door slammed, he turned to me. He took in a deep breath to calm himself, his hands on my shoulders.

"Now," he cocked his head as he said sweetly, kissing my lips and nuzzling my neck, "good morning wife".

He lifted me up bridal style and carried me to our room. A gasp of air came from me as he turned the corner and I saw our bed, just as it had been in New York. I hadn't realized that it was the same bed when I had peeped in through the window in the darkness earlier. The side he had always occupied was turned down, where he had obviously been sleeping. He stood me on my feet by the bed, his hands on my shoulders and then to both sides of my neck as he kissed me, my hands holding his wrists.

God I loved this man.

His eyes never left mine as he slipped my jacket down my arms and it hit the floor. As he pulled my yoga pants to my knees, he gently pushed me onto the bed, kneeling down to remove my shoes and socks and drop my pants onto the floor. I took the hem of my tee shirt in my hands and pulled it over my head, along with my sports bra. He knelt in front of me there, by the bed for what seemed like a long while, his thumbs tracing circles over my knuckles as he held both of my hands. He picked up my left hand and kissed the rings that were on my third finger. Edward reached onto the night side table and took his ring off the chain it dangled from. He handed the ring to me along with his outstretched hand and I placed the ring back on the third finger of his left hand, where it belonged.

I thought he would burst with emotion.

All at once he stood, drew back the covers and placed me on my side of our bed, climbing over me to lie on his side, pressed close facing me. His arms were iron vices around me he held me so tightly. He was crying. You couldn't really call it crying, he was sobbing. He peppered small kisses all over my messy face, not caring how wet it was or how much my nose was running, gently moving the stray strands of hair to behind my ears. He pulled my face tight to his own and held me there.

"Never leave me," he whispered, his voice quivering as he spoke, "Tell me you will never leave me again, wife. I never want to sleep without you again, promise me."

"I will _never_ leave you again, husband. No matter what happens or where we are or even if we are mad with each other, you will never have to sleep without me again. I promise you. I love you more than life itself, Edward."

His entire body relaxed.

He held me as if he would drown without me, as I held him. We fell fast asleep in each others arms.

I awoke as Kismet was whining at the edge of the bed. She had gone unnoticed by me last night, but needed to be let out this morning. I kissed Edwards cheek and slipped out to open the backdoor for her and just leave it open, she could let herself back in. I slipped back into bed with Edward wearing only the panties he had left on me last night and said, "Good morning husband." as I put my arms around him and softly kissed his lips. He lifted a sleepy, tear stained face and said, "Good morning wife. I like this new morning kiss you've added to our routine."

"Oh you do, do you?" I said playfully as I snuggled to him and put my fingers in his hair. I was so very happy to be here in our bed with him.

"Yes, I really do. I'd like to add something else to our always morning routine," he said softly in his velvety voice as he pulled my hips to his, his erection evident and straining against the soft flannel of his pajamas.

"And what would that be?" I asked, my forehead against his as I caressed his cheek with the back of my knuckles and felt his morning stubble.

"I think (kiss) we should make love (kiss) every (kiss) morning (kiss) when we wake up, wife."

His arms encircled me, holding my face to his, one hand in my hair and the other hugging my lower body impossible close to his hardened length. I gasped as I felt him against me. He kissed me softly, his lips tracing mine, begging entrance. I opened my mouth and his tongue quickly entered, dancing with and consuming mine. Our kisses grew harder but it was not a frenzied kiss, a kiss rooted in need, it was a kiss that expressed overwhelming love and acceptance and overwhelming joy at having found its home. His upper body moved over mine, his hands cupping my breast as he trailed kisses down my neck. His lips never left me. If I needed to breath, he would just start kissing my neck, nipping my earlobe and gently sucking, or tracing wet licks and sucks across my chest and to my erect nipples. I had never been so bold, yet I grasped his erection and stroked it as he moved to settle himself between my legs, spreading my legs apart with his knees, his body pressing mine to the mattress. I placed my hands on his precious face and looked into his eyes, blazing with emotion.

I couldn't continue, I couldn't let him continue. I had to be honest with him.

"Edward, please stop," I said quietly.


	10. Chapter 10 Revealed

**Authors Note:** _Okay. So I'm a softie and just can NOT stand to let something hand in the air. Maybe that makes me unsuited for filing a chapter a week, or even two . . . I don't know. I can not write that fast due to real life, and I cannot seam to wait till a story is complete to stat posting it. Bare with me, and keep up the encouragement. I thank all of you for your well wishes and encouragement! Next update absolutely WILL NOT be till next weekend! lol_

**Disclaimer:** All the Twilight stuff belongs to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. I'm just playing in her sandbox.

**Chapter 10 Revealed**

_I couldn't continue, I couldn't let him continue. I had to be honest with him. _

_"Edward, please stop," I said quietly._

**EPOV**

I froze. I was completely unable to move, to breath. My wife was here, in our bed, naked underneath me as I kissed and caressed her and she asked me to stop . . .

I didn't know what to think. I had been such an empty shell for months, ever since Christmas Day. Before that, in the time between her leaving me in New York and making love to her Christmas morning, I had been desperate, alone but hopeful that when I found her there would be a reason, an explanation for her actions. I clung to that damned little blue bear, I slept clinging to it like it was a fucking life line . . . her rings dangling from the bow around it's neck. I held out the hope that she had feelings for me, I just need to find her and get her to admit it.

After what she had said at the hospital on Christmas, after I had made love to her . . . after I had poured my heart out in that damned note . . . I had lost all hope. I lost more than that. I was a completely empty shell of a man, having no opinions or desires . . . feeling just absolutely fucking nothing.

I put on a front, of course. Went about my daily routine and put in hours and hours of extra time at the hospital, throwing myself into my work. I had removed my wedding ring, attaching it to a chain and wore it around my neck, hidden for just me to know about. I put in in my night stand each evening while I slept and around my neck each morning. I don't exactly know why, I just needed it with me when I left our bed.

Jessica Stanley was a nurse/secretary at the hospital on the floor where I worked. She apparently noticed the lack of a ring on my finger. Not that the ring would have stopped someone like her. She had wanted me since high school and it seemed she was everywhere I was at the hospital, shadowing me almost. I went to lunch with her a few times, at her suggestion. Usually I just forgot and worked instead, but sometimes she would insist and I had no ability to fight anyone about anything anymore. She set up dinners with me and even came to my parents house for meals from time to time. I have no idea what was in it for her, I was not good company. She kissed me goodnight from time to time, but they were chaste kisses - I would allow no more. She took my arm or held my hand as we walked when we were out together, but never more than that. I never accepted more, though she refused to keep her hands to herself and I found myself routinely rebuking her.

My mother asked me what was wrong with me, begged me to talk to her. She knew, of course, my father had shared my breakdown with her and what I had done. She wanted to see me happy and seeing me with someone . . . anyone, seemed to help. It was convenient. If I let Jessica come over and I was seen with her, my Mom worried less and so did my father and friends. I wasn't even sure how it got announced that I was marrying her, but I ignored it . . . it didn't matter to me. Let them all think what they wanted, whatever comforted them and got them to leave me be.

I would never marry again.

Ever.

I had watched Bella on the damn fucking Oprah Show. I heard her words. Her book was a lie, she didn't believe in _happily ever after_. She said she was content with her life, that she was happy as shit. My father saw the show as well and was so furious, he had annulment papers drawn up and brought them over, putting them on my dining room table.

Jasper had come in for beers one night after our run, I had been at work for days it seemed and though we both preferred mornings to run on the beach, he had come over to go with me when I had gotten home from the hospital. I saw him looking at the papers, but I gave no thought to it. I wasn't signing them, I wasn't going to take any action of any kind in my life. Hell, I had no life. I was merely going through the motions and existing from day to day. I was never going to sign something that would officially end what I didn't want ended. I needed my wife, I knew that deep down, but I was too fucking hurt to even consider anything to do with her. I couldn't bear to even think of her name. I guess I was glad she had the damn little blue bear that I had been sleeping with . . . and her rings . . .

To say that I was surprised to see her this morning, knocking on my door would be the understatement of the century. I couldn't fucking believe my eyes. It was not sunrise yet and I had been in the middle of whatever fitful sleep God was allowing me last night. Unless someone needed medical care and she was simply there to get me for that purpose, I fucking had every intention of slamming the damn door in her face and going back to bed.

I didn't get the chance.

She ignored the glare I was giving her and scooted past me and into my house asking me if we cold sit and talk. She was crying so hard that she seemed almost hysterical, stopping cold as she entered the living room. I thought she was going to faint, overcome by whatever the hell was wrong with her. I asked her if Charlie was okay, but she nodded and gestured for me to stop talking. She sat on the sofa and I sat beside her, facing her and she surprised the hell out of me by taking both my hands in hers. Apparently she had picked this God forsaken hour of the morning to explain her actions from so many weeks ago. She said she hadn't meant to avoid me, that she hadn't read the note . . . that she didn't know that I loved her.

Her words didn't make sense.

How could she not know I loved her. I fucking made love to her . . . our first time . . . our very first time! I had asked her to make sure and she had told me yes . . . what the hell? It obviously meant nothing to her, just an empty fuck. Why would she have teased me about other women? She had fucking lightheartedly teased me as though the morning had meant nothing to her. Maybe she had moved on, had lots of men and sex in her life. Plenty of shit could have happened in the years we had been apart and it had seemed that she clearly had no emotion for me.

When I had seen her on the beach that night I was so hurt I couldn't speak. I didn't want to hear how fucking wonderful her day was or her idle chatter about nothing while my heart was breaking with the overwhelming emotion I felt for her. Damn it, she was my wife and that meant more to me than she apparently knew. It meant a shitload more to me than it meant to her.

She had told me that she left me a note, that she had hoped I would at least come to her house looking for her and find it. She had left hurriedly, but she had thought of me . . . at least enough to write that note. She was so hysterical, so full of emotion and tears pouring everywhere. . . my hard shell crumbled and I took her in my arms, holding her to me and telling her that I never got the note. I pulled back and looked into her eyes, she had to know that if I had gotten the damned note telling me that she loved me I would have found her . . . Chicago, LA, the moon . . . I would have fucking found her.

I felt as though I would burst . . . as though my blood had once again began to move in my veins, my dead heart reviving and starting to beat again. There were feelings that I had denied and hidden for so long. I might have been the Edward Cullen, capable of making girls panties drop with just a smile, but I no longer cared about any of that. The woman in front of me was my entire world. I don't even know how the fuck it happened. It wasn't like me to really _feel_ things for women, I was the Edward Cullen . . . I fucked them and left them . . . just a game to see if I could.

Not this time . . . not this girl. James had been right, this girl was special and I was in love with her.

I couldn't stop staring at the rings on her hand. _My_ rings. She was _my_ wife . . . she was wearing the rings I had placed on her finger when we had promised _till death do we part_ and she was telling me that she loved me, that there had been no one else. No one else. Four fucking years, just like me . . . and no one else. She kissed me and asked me to make love to her, to be her husband.

How could she have ever thought that making love to her wasn't important to me . . . that it wasn't _everything_ to me?

I saw the look on her face when Jessica burst into the room, she was running again. I grabbed her hand, making my choice clear to them both. She was my wife and I loved her.

She had asked me to make love to her. I carried her to our bed and undressed her, holding her as we both cried. She had spent the rest of the night in my arms, waking me so sweetly and kissing me passionately, but now this . . . asking me to stop. I couldn't take this shit. It was like being on a roller coaster. If she was leaving again I was done for. I would not survive . . . and I didn't fucking want to.

I froze and stared into her eyes, eyes that seemed to be so full of love. I saw something else in them and felt the anxiety course through her body. It seemed like an eternity before she spoke . . .

~oooOooo~

**BPOV**

"Husband. Whatever happens with _this_ baby, we will handle it together."

His face went blank, he didn't even blink. "This baby? This BABY? THIS BABY, Bella?"

"Sweetheart," I said as I ran my fingers through his hair in an attempt to tame it, "there is a good chance I'm pregnant. That's what I wanted to tell you before we went any farther. I don't want to keep anything from you, not ever. It would be our child, Edward, there has been no one but you since we were married. I want you and I wanted to know that you wanted me. I'm not here with you because of a baby, I want it to be that we're together because we love each other and want to be together. I don't want this just because of the baby, I want you, husband."

He kissed me so fiercely I was sure my lips would be swollen in the morning, I didn't care. I pulled him to me like my life depended on it. It did. His pajama pants and my underwear were gone before I even realized it, his hands running down my thigh to my knee and pulling it up, my ankle enveloping his backside and pressing his hardness to me. I was on fire, my need to have him inside me consumed me. He kissed down my body till he reached my belly, planting a lingering kiss there, over the baby. He reached down and stroked my thighs and the folds between them, slipping a finger inside, all the while kissing me and cupping and sucking my breast.

"Wife, you are so wet for me, I love that your body wants me like this. I love you, I have missed you everyday."

He was breathing heavily and his body trembled slightly.

"Only you husband, only for you. I have never felt this way before you . . . I love you."

His fingers moved in and out and his thumb traced circles around that bundle of nerves and I bucked and pressed into him stroking his hardened length in my hand as he moaned with each squeeze. He moved back up my body and kissed me tenderly, looking deep into my eyes as he pressed the tip of his cock into me slowly . . . so slowly. Our eyes never left each others gaze. He stopped every inch or two and stilled to kiss me, allowing my body to adjust to his size as he continued to enter me. When he was fully sheathed inside me, he hugged me to him so fiercely I could hardly breath. He hooked his hands under my arms and held to the top of my shoulders. He slowly started to move in me, our bodies adjusting to what would be a near constant activity over the next few weeks, or years. Our bodies screamed for each other. It was no longer gentle lovemaking, it was the driving need of two people to claim each other, to assert their position in each others lives for all eternity. It was a pounding, forceful rhythm he set and I met him thrust for thrust. I felt myself start to tense and Edward felt it as well, driving faster, harder until we both screamed the others name, tensing at the same time and coming together, finally together.

We lay there joined for a very long time, neither of us willing to break the connection nor make use of his hardening again within me. We held each other murmuring small words of love, his weight pressing down on me held up only by his elbows, covers pulled up to our heads, hidden in a cave of our own making as I played with the hair at the nape of his neck.

My sister, Alice walked into the room followed closely by my Mom.

"EDWARD!" Esme declared, startled and her hand to her mouth.

We hadn't heard them enter the house, lost in each other. Neither of us moved, neither of us cared . . . or even acted startled. We made no effort to move apart from each other. Horses could not have drug us from each other in that moment. We were together, safe with each other and nothing else and no one else mattered. They could see only our faces as we turned to look towards them, it being obvious that I was lying full on top of her.

"Yes?" Edward said smugly.

"Well I guess Jessica was wrong about having brunch here this morning," Alice said, quickly put her hand over her mouth, as though she had misspoken in front of me.

"Nope, she wasn't wrong," I said as I ran my fingers through my husbands hair.

With a smirk consuming his gorgeous face, Edward said, "We would love to have brunch with you if you would give us a minute."

Esme's smile was brilliant as she turned to exit our bedroom with Alice, shutting the door behind them. She looked happy to find him with me, though embarrassed at the situation. We rolled over giggling uncontrollably like we were giddy teenagers.

"I am so happy, wife. I love you so much. When we leave this bed this morning, we _never _doubt each other again. No matter what. No matter how bad the situation seems, we _always_ give each other the benefit of the doubt. And we will not be parted. Where we live, what we do for a living, those are just details. We are together, agreed?"

"Agreed, husband. If I find you standing in the middle of a room, your clothes covered in orange paint and paint all over the walls and floor with a brush in your hand and you say you didn't do it. You didn't do it. Agreed. Forever."

We jumped into the shower and lathered each others bodies quickly and rinsed off, towel drying each other and laughing. Though it was our first shower together and the first time we had fully seen each other naked, but we hurried to dress and join our family. We would spend hours later admiring and exploring. It had been a whirlwind turn of events the last 24 hours for both of us and everything seemed somewhat surreal. What was real was that we now knew how each other felt. We loved each other and we would make it work.

I reached to pick up the pants I had been wearing when I came over when Edward stopped me, opening a drawer by his bed and showing me my clothes folded there, where I had always kept my yoga pants and tops.

"Edward, my clothes? You still even have my clothes in the drawer?" I questioned as I walked to the closet that still remained closed and opened it, "All my things from New York are still hanging here, aren't they? Just as I left them there," I couldn't help but smile.

"I always hoped you would come back to me, wife. I never stopped looking for you, even though you asked me not to," he said as he walked over to me and hugged me close.

I grabbed a hooded sweatshirt and we paused to hug and kiss once again before we faced the world, together.

~oooOooo~

**EPOV**

My Mom and Alice had brunch almost ready, the table neatly set and the mess of groceries that Jessica had let hit the floor put away.

"I take it Jessica won't be joining us this morning?" my sister laughed. She was such a brat!

"Or any other morning, Alice," I said as we all laughed. I wrapped my arm around Bella and kissed her on the top of her head.

"Mom, Alice, I'd like you to met my wife, Isabella Cullen."

My Mom hugged Bella, then me, then both of us as Alice tried to get the leftover hugs when Mom would move from around us. My mother was thrilled and Alice was being bubbly tea party fucking bounding up and down Alice . . . I loved all of them!

I watched my wife as she answered all their questions - how did she like New York, did she enjoy writing, how old was her dog and on and on. She had her leg against mine, her hand in mine or my arm around her the entire meal. It was glorious. Alice had apparently called Jasper and Carlisle along with Emmett and Rosalie to come over as well. The ladies had made plenty for all. As each person entered my house their reactions varied from being curious and staring, like Rosalie, to stopping dead in their tracks like Jasper, to grinning from ear to ear like Emmett and Carlisle.

Emmett finally exclaimed, "Eddie, looks like someone finally got laid!"

Bella and I just nodded and I held up our left hands, clasped together so that her rings showed and said, "Yep. We're married and we get to as much as we want!" A statement that started a whole new round of questions that we sat and smiled as we answered. All the women complimented the rings I had gotten Bella and they all congratulated me. Apparently I hadn't hidden my sadness these last few years as well as I thought and they all said I looked alive and happy for the first time in ages.

I agreed.

Jake and Leah were called and they stopped by with the kids. They were all doing wonderfully and we took the older kids for a walk on the beach with Kismet. By the time we had a cookout on the beach for dinner, all the congratulations were over and everyone had left, we were quite ready for some alone time again. While I loved my friends and family, it seemed like forever before they left for the evening. Bella and I sat on the porch, my arm around her shoulder, watching Kismet chase the waves as they crashed on shore. I asked her which house she would like to sleep at tonight and she wanted, as I did, to sleep in our canopied bed again.

"But, Edward," she said, "do we have to sleep?"

I had created a monster. God I love this woman!

~oooOooo~

**BPOV**

Saturday with the family had been wonderful, if a little embarrassing what with his sister and Mom walking in on us in bed and all. I almost didn't care about that, we were so happy. We watched the last of our guests leave and sat on the porch together, watching the surf.

"So, where would you like for us to sleep tonight, wife? Your house or mine?"

I loved it! There was no question that we would be together, just the logistics of where.

"How about our fairytale bed that you bought us, husband? But do we have to sleep?"

No sooner were the words out of my mouth than his mouth was on mine and we were headed to the bedroom, carrying me bridal style. God I love this man! After several hours, I finally said, "Goodnight, husband" and kissed his lips one final time that evening as he drifted off to sleep beside me.

Morning came and it had not been a dream, there beside me was my husband, his arms possessively wrapped around me, our bodies naked. I gently nudged him and kissed his lips to elicit my expected, "Good morning wife".

"Are you ready for breakfast yet, or would you like to continue . . . again this morning for a few more hours?" Edward said as he threw his legs off the bed and reached for his pants.

"No, no clothes! I declare it naked day! We can have a naked picnic in bed," I said as I hurried off to the kitchen to get food for us.

We spent Sunday wrapped up in each others arms. We never got out of bed, other than getting food to bring to our room or dressed except to let Kismet out for a walk, and that was just perfect to me.

~oooOooo~


	11. Chapter 11  Ours

**Disclaimer:** All the Twilight stuff belongs to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. I'm just playing in her sandbox.

**Chapter 11 Ours**

_"No, no clothes! I declare it naked day! We can have a naked picnic in bed," _

_I said as I hurried off to the kitchen to get food for us._

_We spent Sunday wrapped up in each others arms. We never got out of bed,_

_ other than getting food to bring to our room, or dressed except to let Kismet out for a walk._

_~oooOooo~  
_

**EPOV**

My life had completely changed in the last 24 hours. I had gone from merely existing to being absofuckinglutely ecstatic. I had not only spent the night in the arms of the woman I loved, but she had told me she loved me more than anything and that there had been no one else. She had not sought comfort with anyone else since we were married. She was just as desperately, overwhelmingly, passionately, deeply in love with me as I was with her.

Our time apart had been horrible for both of us, but we had handled it in similar ways . . . throwing ourselves into our work. I had done nothing but study. Nothing. I graduated suma cum laude from New York University . . . and I had to wonder if I had not done that because Bella had urged me to in her note when she left me in New York. She had isolated herself and thrown herself completely into her writing, each of us finding ways to escape the pain, the numbness, the nothing that was, in reality, our lives without each other. Neither of us chose to date . . . at all. I had let Jessica lead me around by the nose only after I thought I had been rejected last Christmas, face to face, by Bella.

Kismet finally decided we had been in bed long enough, as she would not stop barking on Monday morning. It was only then that we realized that though we had given her bites of our food and let her out for walks, she had not actually been fed her normal diet since Saturday night, before Bella had come to my house. We reluctantly got out of bed and found clothes to wear, stopping for hugs and kisses in the middle and sometimes unbuttoning a button that had been buttoned . . .

"I'm sorry girl," I said as I squatted down to pet her with her jumping all around and wiggling her rear end, "I distracted your Mom and we forgot about feeding you."

"We'll go right now and get you your food," Bella told her as we headed, hand in hand, out the door to walk to Bella's cottage.

It was early and we met Jasper taking a morning run on the beach. We hadn't seen him since Alice had called him to the cottage on Saturday. He and Alice had become almost inseparable since they had met on my deck last fall and I had to admit that I really liked Jasper, even though he was with my annoying sister.

"So, you two actually came out of the house? It's been what, two days now?" he teased us.

"Yes, and if I had my way we might never leave our bedroom again," I told him as Bella blushed and agreed with me.

"Well, I'm happy that you two finally straightened things out. I hope this doesn't mean that our pool tournaments and runs together on the beach are history, though," Jasper added, looking at me questioningly.

"No such luck," Bella said. "I don't want my husband getting flabby and I love shooting pool."

I looked at her with mock hurt on my face as I put a hand on my abs, glancing down at them and then mouthing _flabby_?

"Nice," Jasper remarked as he shook his head. "See you guys later then," he said as he continued his run down the shore line shaking his head at us.

As we continued down the beach towards Bella's cottage, I happened to feel her bracelet against the wrist of the hand she was holding and it reminded me to ask her about it. It looked familiar and I wanted to make sure. "Wife," I said as I raised our joined hands to eye level in front of her, "Is this the bracelet I bought for Jamee-Rose?"

A sheepish look came over her face as she quietly answered me. "It is. Don't be mad, I just had to have something from you and something to remind me of her . . . I didn't feel right keeping my wedding rings, so I took this," she answered, gesturing to the bracelet. "I won't wear it if you don't want me to."

"Don't be silly. Of course I'm not mad and I love that you're wearing it. It sounds like you wore it like I wore my ring," I told her.

"Your ring? The ring you had on last Christmas was our wedding ring, the one I gave you wasn't it?" she asked, stunned.

"Yes. I needed to always have something of you with me. I had never taken my ring off. Even after you left on Christmas, I couldn't bear to be without it. I put it on a chain and wore it next to my heart, keeping it in the drawer where you saw it every night while I slept and putting it on in the mornings."

We arrived at her cottage, it was a short walk, really. Half mile. Half a mile had separated us for who knew how long, certainly ever since I had bought my cottage and I guessed that Bella had been there, in her cottage since she left me in New York over four years ago. Unbelievable. She had loved me all along, not knowing how I felt about her. Kismet was glad to be home, running circles around the room and crashing into her food bowl sending the pellets of food we had just given her flying across the floor. She gobbled down each bite, scrambling for every morsel appreciatively as Bella made us some coffee.

"So, do you want to stay here tonight?" I asked her as we watched the waves from the porch swing.

"We can stay here anytime you want."

She had said the right words, but there was an odd feeling to them, like she didn't really mean it and damned if I was going to have misunderstandings between us again.

"Bella, you seem uncertain. Talk to me, please." She hesitated and I fidgeted uneasily, taking her hand in mine for comfort during the silence. "You're scaring me. Do you not want me here?" I asked meekly, though the words burned my chest as I spoke them.

"God yes, I want you wherever I am, Edward. That's not at all what I'm thinking," she said as she moved to hug me close to her. "We already established that, remember?" she said kissing my lips.

"I thought so, but your hesitation scared me, wife."

"Edward, I haven't allowed myself to have . . . things," she started explaining whatever it was to me, then stopped for a second and started again, seemingly needing to gather the strength.

"I haven't allowed myself to have anything nice, Edward. You were in my house last Christmas. Everything is plain and sparse. I didn't feel like I deserved better. I just don't know if you would be comfortable here. You deserve better," she said as tears began to flow.

I cupped her chin in my hand to lift her face so that I could look into her eyes, I wanted her to hear me. "Bella, the only reason I have anything in my cottage is because I brought the furniture from our home, furniture I bought for you, that we bought together. If it hadn't been for my unwillingness to let go of anything we had together, the house would have been left with only the bed and sofa that they sold it to me with and believe me, it was far older and in worse condition than anything you have," I told her as I softly kissed her lips.

"Let's stay here tonight. I want to know things about how you have lived, what you did with your days. We can live at the other cottage if you want, move the things you care about to there. Whatever you want. As long as we're together, I couldn't care less where we live," I said just before I kissed her again.

'Well, this cabin is really not mine. It's sort of the Swan family cabin and I've been using it. Most everything here stays here, Edward. I just have clothes and my computer and some supplies for work."

"Okay, then it's settled. We move your things as soon as you want. You could even keep this cabin for writing, like a loft sort of a thing, your own office if you want to. Whatever you want, I want you to have, baby."

"You have three bedrooms, right?" she timidly asked.

"Yes, though only our room has anything in it," I admitted to her, "except a desk in one of the rooms and a computer."

"Perfect. One room can be the nursery and the other can be an office that we share, if that's okay with you," she said as she looked up at me through he watery lashes. "I would rather be in our home and write, not a half mile from you, husband. Even while you're at work, I want to be in our home," she said as she sniffed her nose and wiped her face. I know I absolutely beamed at her words, my face might literally crack open my smile was so huge. I knew my heart was doing flip flops hearing that she wanted to be near me all the time, even just in our house while I was at work. She couldn't have had an answer that would have made me any happier.

"I love you. Watery nose, teary face and all, you know that don't you?" I told her as I touched my forehead to hers. Our hearts were pounding. I picked her up bridal style and headed into the house, pausing when I got to the living room, my lips devouring hers. "Which way to our bedroom, wife?" I asked as she laughed and pointed out the correct door.

We landed on her bed, luckily in the middle of it, as it was not that large and we were so involved in removing clothing and passionate embraces, we were in serious danger of rolling off either side. We were in such a hurry to be as close to each other as we could physically get, that I wasn't even sure who was on top when I felt my length finally sheathed in her warmth.

I completely lost it.

I don't know if it was my wife's tears or the discussion or the revelation that she had been just as miserable without me as I had been with out her. It didn't matter. I thrust into her wildly, desperately wanting her to know just how much I loved her and wanted her and she seemed just as intent to show me the same. We came together, sweaty and exhausted, screaming each others names as we held each other tight. I could only hope that I hadn't hurt her, but if I had, she showed no sign of it. I rested my head on my wife's shoulder, her arms holding me tightly to her as I tried to regain my breath. I realized after a few moments that I had all of my weight resting on her and I propped myself up on my elbows to look into her eyes and make sure she wasn't being squashed.

As I lifted my head, my face brushed something soft and fuzzy and as I focused on it I realized that I was staring straight at the little blue bear that I had left under her Christmas tree. I hadn't noticed it there before.

"You kept him," I said, gesturing for her to look sideways and see the stuffed toy. She immediately reached a hand up and took the bear into her arms between us, holding him tightly.

"Don't mess with the bear," she told me and made a pouty face. She was absolutely adorable.

"Husband?"

"Yes, wife."

"Why does this bear smell so much like you?" she asked playfully. I ducked my head down onto her shoulder, embarrassed at the answer I would have to give her.

"Because I had him with me. He sat on my bed, just like he is on yours now, but he sat on your side of the bed," I told her.

"He wouldn't smell so strongly of you from just sitting on the bed, husband. There is more to this story," she insisted.

"Okay, okay. He probably smells like me because I slept with him for four years," I whispered in her ear. I felt her smile at me as I continued, "I was bringing him home to you the night you left and I slept with him every night till I gave him to you for Christmas, when I finally found you."

I almost wish I hadn't told her. I thought she would laugh at me, but tears were everywhere. You would have thought someone turned on the fucking hose.

"I love you" . . . it was all she needed to say.

"We rolled to our sides and pulled up the throw blanket from the foot of the bed, sticky, wet and cocooned there together . . . and we could not have been happier.

~oooOooo~

I awoke to Bella's stomach growling and realized that it was after lunchtime and we hadn't even had our breakfast yet. Pregnant women needed to eat, at least that's how I justified kissing her and stroking her breasts to wake her.

"Wife, let's go get food, your stomach is trying to tell me you're hungry," I smirked as I kissed her lips.

"Oh. Food. Edward, there isn't any here, I mean I've been gone for weeks and I haven't been to the store yet. I came straight to find you as soon as I got Kismet and drove home." And I was so glad that she had.

"Hum. That is a problem," I said as I traced kisses down her chest, becoming more overheated and less interested in food by the minute.

"Let's shower and go into town for lunch. We can run by the grocery store on the way home. There is no food here and our house doesn't have a lot either," she said as she tried to remember the words. Her heart was speeding up and she arched her back, pressing her breast even more firmly into my lips.

"Sounds like a plan, wife. I guess the other cottage is our house and this one will be the Swan family cottage again," I said, taking my lips from her skin as my fingers stroked and finally entered her.

"W . . . we should g . . . go then," she tried to say as I caressed her. I could wait no longer as I sheathed myself in her, our hips rocking together with a gentle rhythm completely unlike earlier this morning.

"I'll have you know there are healthy foods in the fridge at our house, wife," I told her, but as she was almost incoherent, writhing beneath me, I wasn't sure she knew that I said anything. She gave me a surprised look, only for a moment and I had to confess, "Mom comes by with groceries every week."

She laughed in spite of the circumstances we were in and what laughter did to our joined bodies was unbelievable as we both screamed our release just moments after wards.

"Shower," she said with determination.

"Shower?" I asked.

"Shower. The shower is really small, but I think we can both fit, if we stay close and after I wash you, we can get something to eat in town . . . remember? . . . lunch . . . ? Feed me!" she insisted as she got up, pulling me by the arm to follow.

As if she need to ask.

Wild horses could not drag me away from this woman.

~oooOooo~

**BPOV**

Kismet was barking as my husband lifted his sleepy face from his pillow. "Good morning wife," the first thing from his lips, followed by a kiss. After a moment in the bathroom and some furious tooth brushing, we jumped back into bed like hormone enraged teenagers and fulfilled our promise to never get up in the mornings without _getting up_ in the morning.

To be such a tough guy he was really such a sap. Sleeping with little blue bears and wearing his wedding ring around his neck even when he thought there was no longer any hope that I would come back to him and love him as he did me. He had taken me into out bedroom and pulled open the drawer in the night side table and there was his ring on a long gold chain that would have the ring hanging over his heart when he put it on.

We had an appointment with Carlisle this morning so we had to get up and going. Though Carlisle had given Edward the week off after coming to the house on Saturday and seeing that we had finally found each other, he wanted us to get in and have an examination done. He remembered all too well having to induce me to deliver the placenta and empty sac with no baby four years ago. I was a little nervous. We were having a high resolution scan right off the bat this morning to ensure that there was actually a fetus. We discussed it and made a pact that if there wasn't, we would just continue to try. We simply would not use birth control and if God wanted us to have a little one, we would.

Carlisle warned me that the gel would be cold, as we anxiously waited, trying to keep our attitudes positive. I thought back to those same words from the Doctor in New York right before he made the discovery that sent me running away from Edward. This time was different. He was with me. He sensed my nervousness and held my hand as the image came into view. There before us our baby. There was no doubt, it was an actual baby almost three months along. I smiled and looked up to gaze at Edward only to see his face absolutely radiant. He was grinning from ear to ear.

He exchanged a look with Carlisle, who nodded to him as if in understanding. I hated that about them and they did things like that all the time, just from what little I had been around them when they were together. It was as if they could read each others minds.

"Edward, what?" I asked somewhat panicked, grabbing his arm in a death grip.

"See this?" he pointed to the small bit that was the image of our baby on the screen.

"Yes, that's the baby, right? There is a baby. Tell me, there is a baby, Edward," I was quickly becoming upset.

"Settle down, everything is fine, more than fine," he said as he kissed me, "see the little shadow there, behind this one? he asked. I nodded my answer, waiting for him to explain. "It seems we are having two babies, wife. There are two of them inside you," he said.

"Two? We're really pregnant, two times pregnant? For sure?" I asked.

"Bella," Carlisle said, "I may be your doctor, but your husband here is a pediatric specialist and if he says there are two fetuses then you can be sure there are two of them." Carlisle patted Edward on the back and laughed as I looked from one of them to the other to the monitor and back. I must have looked like a cartoon character whipping my head from place to place so fast so many times.

We were having twins!


	12. Chapter 12  Parents

**Disclaimer:** All the Twilight stuff belongs to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. I'm just playing in her sandbox.

**Chapter 12 Parents**

_We were having twins!_

_~oooOooo~  
_

**CarlislePOV**

They were so excited. I was elated to see my son this happy . . . it had been years. He had struggled so his last years in high school that we had forced him to stay home and go to a community college so that we could keep an eye on him. His drinking was out of control and the women, well . . . it was a small town and apparently my son was a major player.

Just before he turned 21 and received his inheritance, he seemed to get serious with school. His entire attitude changed and from what he had shared out on the back deck of my house with me, this girl was the reason. He had kept a promise to a friend and by doing so had apparently found someone he loved more than anything else in the world. That promise to a friend and his desire to be a husband and father worthy of his friend's respect had helped shape him into the man he was today. That and this girl, well . . . his wife. My son had been married for almost 5 years and I had no idea.

Isabella Marie Swan Cullen.

She had been his motivation for going to medical school, for investing in real estate, for striving to be the best doctor he possibly could and I could not wait to get to know this marvelous young woman who had so dramatically altered my son and made a remarkable career for herself as well. Now not only was she pregnant, but they were expecting twins. Their lives had turned on a dime and I was thrilled for them.

"Dad, don't tell Mom, okay," Edward had asked me. He had smiled and turned to his wife saying, "We want to tell her together. Doesn't she have lunch with you on Thursdays?" he asked.

"Yes son, just a habit we have gotten into, why?" I asked.

He spoke to me, all the while looking at Bella, "Would it be alright with you if we came and joined you for lunch? We could tell Mom then," Bella was nodding her head enthusiastically, so I was sure it was alright with her as well.

"Thursday then. One o'clock okay with you two?" Dad asked us.

"Perfect," Bella answered. "Carlisle, when are our babies due?" she asked me.

It wasn't professional, but I couldn't help my answer and all that it would give away. I smiled and told her, "Two hundred and sixty six days from last Christmas morning, I would assume," Edward beamed as Bella turned slightly red. Edward dropped his face to hers and touched foreheads.

"I broke down at my parents house before I found you, wife. I told my Dad our story and he knows what happened at Christmas because I nearly fell apart after you left," Edward told her.

She was so loving to him, gently caressing his cheek with her hand, trying to sooth him.

"Well, you're together now and I see from the glow on your faces and the smiles that are about to break your faces in half that you're happy about it. The babies should be here around September 18. Twins usually come as much as a month early, though, as I'm sure your husband will inform you," Carlisle said as he smirked at Edward. "Congratulations, kids. Really. It seems you have both come a long way," I said with a smile.

~oooOooo~

**BPOV**

I was so excited about the baby.

Babies.

There were two of them. I was pregnant and there really was a live being in there, two of them, I thought as I rubbed my belly. Edward had seen it apparently as clearly as his father had. There would be no mistake this time.

We went back to our cottage and spent the rest of the day in bed. If I hadn't been pregnant, I would surely have gotten pregnant, having lost count of the number of times Edward released inside me. He was absolutely amazing, the most gentle, passionate man. He made me feel like nothing else in the world mattered to him but me. Though I was new to being intimate with a man and had no real idea of what I was doing, he seemed to respond to the least little thing I tried, like he absolutely loved it. He moaned as I ran my hands down his chest and his amazing abs, he almost purred when I scratched his back or played with his hair and he came unglued when I grasped or stroked his length. I was so amazed by how uninhibited he was in showing me his feelings. He was comfortable trusting me and I would always trust him. We had proven that we only wanted each other time and time again.

I stared at my gorgeous husband as he drove us towards the hospital. We were meeting his parents for lunch and to tell his mother about the existence of her first grand babies. He seemed even more pleased and excited than I was, if that were even possible. I snorted at the thought.

"What was that for, wife?" he asked me with a grin.

"What?" I asked.

"The snort. You only make that sound when something is funny or not possible in a funny way," he explained. He knew me well. I was constantly surprised at just how attentive he had been and how he noticed little things about me and remembered them, just like I did about him. Edward's phone rang and he moved to answer it.

"Cullen. Fine, no that sounds perfect."

Short and to the point, like all his phone conversations it seemed, well, except with me. I was beginning to realize just how special he really did treat me.

"Dad asked us to meet him at that little Italian place on Main Street. Do you feel like having Italian, wife?" he asked me, returning his hand to mine as he put the phone back in its holder.

"That depends," I said catching his eye, "Are you Italian?"

"Bella! You really want me to walk into a restaurant with a hard on or should we cancel and pull over in the car somewhere," he said, acting like he was going to stop and park the car somewhere secluded.

"No, no no," I laughed at him, "I'm sorry. I'm not used to being this happy . . . I'm not used to feeling at all."

He pulled into a parking space in front of the restaurant and pulled me at the same time into a tight embrace, kissing me fiercely yet so sweetly, showing me beyond a doubt all the passion that he felt.

"I'm not used to _feeling_ anything either, Bella," he said in a serious tone, "I have felt nothing since Christmas, and the years before that I felt only pain and longing. I missed you so much, wife."

I was afraid he was going to cry as we sat there, him holding me and me cupping his face in my hands trying to sooth him.

"Sweetheart, it's alright. It's over and we're together now and we have promised each other never to let anything come between us. Ever," I told him, "We may have difficult times in the years ahead, but together we can face anything, husband. You know I'm right. Come on, we can even face telling your Mom about the baby!"

"Babies," he smirked, "When I do something, I go all out."

Carlisle had chosen a secluded table towards the rear of the restaurant and he and Esme were waiting, absently munching on bread sticks and talking quietly. If we had not known better, you could have easily mistaken them for newly married or dating, they were so sweet and affectionate with each other. We sat down across the table from them, still holding hands as we greeted them.

"Dad, Mom, nice to see you," Edward said as I greeted them as well.

"Bella, feel free to not only drop the Dr. Cullen, but the Carlisle as well. You're our daughter now, as well, and we would love for you to call us Mom and Dad" Carlisle told me.

"Yes, please, sweetheart. If you're not comfortable with Mom, at least call me Esme. Carlisle and I are so very glad you and Edward have found each other. I know we told you that last Saturday at Edward's cottage, but we are truly thrilled for you both," she insisted emphatically.

Edward squeezed my hand under the table, he had told me they would be accepting of me and he was right. His parents seemed truly thrilled that we were together.

"So what are your plans, dear?" Esme asked us, "Will you use both cottages, or will both of you move into one?"

"Well, our furniture . . . well, the furniture we bought at our home in New York is already in Edward's cottage and the cottage I'm in is more of a family cottage," I kind of stumbled through the words, not really wanting to explain that my cottage was so poorly furnished.

"Bella's things are all at my house, Mom. Our house, now. I tried to get her to at least use her cottage for writing," he said as he looked at me, "but she wants to be in our home instead."

"That's wonderful," Esme said with tears in her eyes. "Bella, I look at my son's face and all I can see is the sparkle that used to be there, back when he was growing up. That hasn't been there for years, dear, and now it's back. We have you to thank for that."

"Esme, I have loved your son for years, neither of us knew that the other felt that way and we have made some pretty wrong assumptions . . . but we have both loved each other from the moment we said _I Do_."

"That's true, Mom. I had no idea I could feel that way about anyone, but she's right. I loved her from day one."

"Well, what are your plans? Will you stay at the cottage, Edward continuing on at the hospital and you with your writing?" Carlisle asked.

"Yes. I have a new book started and Edward wants to have his practice here with you. I love the cottage and hopefully I can finish this book before I need to get started doing the nursery."

Esme's head popped up, her mouth ajar. "Nursery?" she said, cocking her head to one side and looking from me to Edward and back to me. I looked down and thankfully Edward chimed in for me.

"I know it seems soon and I know you are a little young, Mom, but you are going to be a grandma by fall."

She just sat there, saying not a word for the longest time.

"You're sure. You're sure . . . this time?" she asked hesitantly, not knowing how much to reveal that she knew.

"Yes, Esme. Carlisle did the ultrasound yesterday, we're sure," I told her.

"That is the most terrific thing I have heard in ages, well, almost. You being together is the _most terrific_, but a baby! A baby. Well, we'll have to get all the furniture that Edward had shipped home down, it's all in the attic but I'm sure it's fine and . . . ," Esme rattled on.

Edward cut her off, "Mom!"

"Oh no, was I not supposed to bring up that furniture? I'm so sorry . . . did Bella not know you sent it, what . . . ," Esme continued.

"Mom!" Edward tried to get her attention. "Bella and I have no secrets. She knows I sent the baby furniture home for you to store. We haven't really talked about it", Edward starred at me, knowing what I would want, "but we won't be needing that furniture."

"Well, you can't know if it's a boy or girl yet, can you?" she asked.

"No, dear," Carlisle told her, hugging her to him and tracing circles on her shoulder with his hand to comfort her and hopefully settle her down somewhat, "it's too early to determine the sex."

"It's not that I don't want to use that furniture, Esme, I do. Perhaps we can use it with out next child. This time, I think we want matching cribs for both the babies," I told her. I was smiling like a Cheshire cat, I really just could not help it.

Carlisle and Edward looked to Esme for her reaction. It was a though she was gathering steam, silently taking in as much air as possible before reacting. "Babies?" she blurted out, "Babies? There is more than one?"

I watched as the smile grew on Edward's face and he beamed at his Dad, almost nodding to him.

"Dear, the ultrasound revealed that they're having twins," Carlisle told her.

"Scoot out," Esme told Carlisle. He looked at her like she was loosing it, well . . . I guess she kind of was. "Scoot out and let me up, dear, I have to hug my children," Esme demanded.

Carlisle scooted out of the booth, as did Edward and Esme hugged him fiercely, her arms around his neck. By the time I stood beside him and she could get an arm around me as well, tears were flowing freely down her face. "I am just so happy for both of you!" was all she really could say. There were no other words at the moment.

We managed to finish eating, and Mom refused to let go of Bella as we walked out of the restaurant and to our cars. "I am just so thrilled that you're together and now a baby . . . babies," she corrected herself.

"I know, Mom. More than I could ever ask for," Edward told her.

"Alright. Let's have a celebration. Carlisle is off this weekend and I know he gave you time off till Monday, Edward. Let's have a party at the house and invite the rest of the family," Esme suggested.

"Sounds good, thank you, Esme. I would love for us to tell everyone together and share our happiness with them. Can we make it for Sunday, though? Edward and I still need to go tell my parents and I want to do that on Saturday," I told her.

"Shall I invite your parents to dinner Sunday?" Esme asked us.

"Tell you what, Mom. Let us see how it goes on Saturday and if it goes well we can invite them personally. Bella is not expecting things to be smooth with them at all so I wouldn't count them in," Edward explained.

After a few more hugs and well wishes, we got into our cars and started towards home.

"Husband, I didn't see my Dad's patrol car at the station when we passed it, let's swing by the house and see if he's home. How brave are you feeling today?" I asked him.

"I'll do this any way you want me to, wife. This is completely your call and I am behind whatever you want me to do," Edward paused, "I do, however, have one request."

"Anything, husband. What is it?" I took his hand and looked expectantly toward where he sat behind the steering wheel.

"I would like us to tell him when he isn't wearing his gun," he chuckled.

"Edward, really!" I chided him. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that it was actually a valid concern. My father hated him. Absolutely hated him.

When I had flown back from New York, I had no place to go, very little money and it was pretty obvious to those who knew me that I was pregnant. I told my Dad everything and he was relieved that there as no baby, insisting that I was lying about it being Jame's child and that Edward was the asshole that had been with his daughter and had now abandoned her. After I had the procedure done with Carlisle, I couldn't stand to be around anyone and had asked to use the family cabin on the beach as my home for now and my Dad had reluctantly agreed. I couldn't stand to be around anyone for long at a time, he hated Edward and my mother was insufferable.

I was 19 years old and all alone, but I found peace and quiet at the beach. I bought Kismet for company, got a part time job at Newton's Hiking Supply and found solace in writing my story . . . mine and Edward's. It seemed real with it in writing and it could even give it a happy ending. Dad thought my marriage had been annulled years ago and I had never corrected him.

The cruiser was in the driveway.

"Is now as good a time as any, husband?" I timidly asked Edward.

"I'm all about following you into the lion's den, wife. Surely he'll be happy for us when we tell him the truth and he sees how happy you are. I love you and you love me. My parents are thrilled, surely we can manage to make yours at least not hate me," Edward said playfully as he got out of the car and came around to my side to open my door for me and help me out of the car. He was always such a gentleman.

I knocked on the door and my Mom opened it. She was glad to see me, as always and pulled me into a hug, eying Edward warily.

"Bella!" she greeted me, "come in, baby."

I released my Mom and took Edward's hand. He was still standing outside on the stoop and I pulled him into the house beside me. "You remember Edward," I said to my Mom.

"Yes, of course. Hello Edward," she said nodding to him stifly.

"Mrs. Swan, nice to see you again," Edward replied. He was making every effort to be overly nice.

"Bells, is that you?" the Chief called from the living room. I walked in towing Edward with my hand firmly clasped in his. We rounded the corner into his view and he stared at Edward, jumping up to stand tall from where he had been lounging in his recliner.

"Yes, Dad. It's Edward and me," I answered him.

There wasn't a single sound for what seemed like minutes, my Dad's eyes turning almost a steel grey they appeared to be so cold.

"Mr. Swan, good to see you again, Sir," Edward greeted him with his hand outstretched to shake.

My father ignored the gesture, "What the hell is he doing in my house, Bella?" he glared at me.

"We wanted to talk to you, Dad. It's important. How about we sit down?" I asked.

"I have nothing to say to him," he gestured towards Edward then glared at him, "You need to get out of my house, now."

I turned with Edward, heading towards the door.

"Not you, Bells . . . just him," Dad clarified as he caught up to us at the threshold of the door.

"Well Dad, Mom, Edward and I are married," I said, raising my hand to show them my rings and the hand I had clasped in Edward's to show them his," and I am not staying anywhere he isn't welcome."

Edward put his arm protectively around me as though to escort me out the door. We were leaving. There was no way I was putting up with this or having anything come between us again. I had just gotten him back and I meant to keep him, in spite of my parents if need be.

"Now just a minute, Bella," Mom spoke up. "Charlie, stop it. You haven't even heart what our daughter has to say."

"I can't possibly believe anything she has to say if she's with him, the way they deceived us and lied, running off to New York together, her pregnant and all. This yahoo having taken advantage of her. I never thought my daughter would be one of those girls," my Dad said as tears poured down my face. Edward tensed, stepping slightly in front of me and towards my Dad.

"Mr. Swan, you can say what you will about me, but you will not speak to my wife that way. Ever," I declared forcefully. You could have heard a pin drop as Bella and I turned to leave.

"Bella, please," Mom called to me. "Please don't leave like this," she said as she ran to us, halfway down the walkway to our car. She threw her arms around me and hugged me. "I love you, sweetie," Mom said. "Are you alright?" she said eying Edward.

"I'm better than alright. Mom," I said looking at Edward.

"Did you call her your wife?" Mom asked Edward, "I thought you annulled that marriage years ago."

"No Ma'am. I never had anything annulled. I love Bella and I've been looking for her ever since she left me in New York. You know that. I've been here several times asking Charlie to get messages to her for me, till he threatened to have me arrested," Edward told her.

"I came over to let you know that Edward and I are together now, Mom. We found each other again and I'm carrying Edward's baby this time," I told her. Her eyes opened wide. "He owns a cabin two doors down from me and we are living there."

"Bella wanted you to know," Edward added.

"Can I see your rings, sweetheart?" Mom asked. I held my hand out for her to take and examine my rings. "These are the original rings that Edward put on my hand when we first said I do, Mom," I told her, "He kept them for me all this time."

"They are just beautiful, Bella, just beautiful," Mom admired them for a long moment, "and you still have your ring, Edward?"

"I never took mine off, Mrs. Swan," Edward told her.

"I'm sorry your father is being so difficult. He's just hurt by the lies, you know him," Mom said.

"Mom, if I hadn't lied, he would have been even more hurt and disappointed. I can't win. He would never have been there for me and been supportive, he would have just always been angry and disappointed."

"That's not true, Bells," my Dad said as he stepped out the door towards us.

Edward bristled and stepped slightly between us, protectively. My Dad stared straight into Edward's eyes and for a moment there was some doubt if blows would be exchanged.

"I would have been there, Bella. I would have been hurt and yes, I would have been embarrassed that my unmarried teenage daughter was pregnant, but I would have been there. Apparently, though, Edward _was_ there," Charlie turned and looked to Edward, "You're not leaving her this time?"

"No. I will never leave her and I didn't leave her last time," Edward said somewhat defiantly, "She left me and I was trying to find her."

"Alright alright then. I only have one daughter and I want her close. No more lies though," my Dad insisted, "Just don't lie to me and I'll try and be more understanding. You say you two are together now, how about coming back inside and explaining that to me."

We sat on the couch for more than an hour, Edward telling my Dad how he had hired a detective and searched for me, me babbling on about the misunderstanding at Christmas and us discussing our babies. Babies, yes, we clarified that I was pregnant with twins.

Charlie asked about Jessica, it was after all, a small town and Edward explained how the idea of them being engaged had come about after the Oprah show and all that caused. I recalled Edward's telling her to leave the ring and get out right in front of me and how supportive his parents were being.

Talk of Jessica did remind me that I hadn't seen Edward's grandmother's ring and I wondered if Jessica had in fact left it when she had been told to. There were lots of things to straighten out and I was sure this was not going to be the last time I heard about Edward's being engaged to that girl.

We said good night to my parents and that we would see them on Sunday at the cookout at the Cullen's and headed back to our home on the beach.

~oooOooo~


	13. Chapter 13 Family

**Disclaimer:** All the Twilight stuff belongs to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. I'm just playing in her sandbox.

**Author's Note: ** _I owe everyone an apology. I promised an update each weekend, and this one is obviously late due to an unexpected trip to Florida for the weekend to see my grandkids. I rewrote part of this to include some citrus as an apology. I will do better! Let me know if you like it . . ._

**Chapter 13 Family**

**BPOV**

We left my parents house and headed towards home. Our home. I had lived with Edward for less than a week and it was already _home _to me. Our time apart had become a part of the past. Living with Edward now was kind of like when we first moved to New York except it was so much _more._ He was sweet and thoughtful like he had always been, but the addition of being intimate with Edward was just so much more. _ He_ was just so much _more_. We had spent the entire week entwined in each others arms, whether it was on the couch watching movies, lying on the lounge on the deck watching the sunset, or snuggled close together in our bed.

We walked on the beach whenever Kismet needed to go out and we prepared food together for our meals, but we were always together. Even when I had gone into our office to put down an idea or two or to check with in my publisher or on messages, Edward had done work at his desk as well, going over patient files and speaking with Carlisle about some of the cases. It was as though we were just parts of a whole and to be apart - even a small distance didn't seem comfortable to either of us.

We had showered together this morning after our routine of waking and making love before we did anything else in the mornings. I was totally unaccustomed to this kind of intimacy, being physical and making love or even just being undressed with someone else. I had been with James that night I had gotten upset after the party, the night I thought I had gotten pregnant . . . but that was over five years ago. Edward had come to my cabin and we had made love together for our very first time on the sofa in the living room last Christmas and I had again gotten pregnant with the twins I now carried. Until last Saturday when I had confronted my husband and told him how I felt, those two occurrences were the only times I had been with a man . . . like that. Yes, of course, Edward and I slept together when we moved to New York for those few months, but we _slept._ We had never seen each other naked nor had we done more than my kissing him in the mornings when I said 'good morning husband'.

This week had changed all that. My husband was the most amazing man on the planet, kind and gentle but passionate and loving. He had a bit of a potty mouth and he tended to think of himself as '_all that _' but in reality . . . he was.

Though we had jumped into the shower with each other the morning Esme and Alice had walked in on us in bed together, it was days before I actually had the nerve to really look at my husbands body. I stole glances, of course, and I had held him. Certainly I had felt him as he lay with me and moved in me, but I hadn't taken the time to just marvel at the perfection that was Edward till last night when we got home from my parent's house.

We walked into the den and plopped down on the sofa, each of us letting out a breath that we had been holding from the strain of going to the Chief's house. I felt bold on this sofa, in this house. I had declared my love for him here, hell I had virtually thrown myself at him, begging him to be my husband again and all the while not realizing that was what he wanted most in this world.

I turned to him and reached over to stroke his neck softly, turning his jaw to me so that I could kiss his lips as my other hand found the soft hair at the nape of his neck. He was still tense from the visit with my father. I unbuttoned his shirt, one button at a time and pulled the ends from his jeans, running my hand around his lean waist as I continued the kiss. I felt his lips smile as I continued to kiss him softly, his arms around me and his fingers tracing circles on my back. He made no move, only continuing to gently kiss me and hold me as I unbuckled his belt and ran my hand over the bulge forming in his jeans. His eyes never left mine.

I straddled him on the sofa, both hands playing in his hair then running down the hard planes of his chest as he smiled and grabbed the hem of my shirt to pull it over my head, his hands immediately freeing me of the bra I wore as he kissed down my neck to my collar bone.

"You're so beautiful," Edward said as his hands cupped my breasts, lifting them and seeming to enjoy the weight in his hands as his thumbs grazed back and forth across the nipples.

"I want to see you," I told him as he pulled me into a hug and his mouth caught my earlobe.

"Do you now?" he said with a smirk, "Anything my wife wants, my wife gets," he said as he shifted me to sit back on the couch and he stood in front of me. He unzipped his jeans and, kicking off his shoes, let his shirt drop down off his arms and slid the jeans, along with the boxers, to the floor and stepped out of them. He stood in front of me, his hands playing with my hair.

"Is this what you wanted, Mrs. Cullen?" he asked as he stood naked just inches in front of me.

I ran my hands up his thighs, over his hipbones and across the muscled ridges of his stomach, and around to squeeze his rear. His length was completely at attention and it was huge. Huge. I had known this, of course, I had felt him in my hand as well as sheathed within me many times in the last week, but never just a few inches from my face in broad daylight. He stood still, allowing me whatever it was I had wanted.

"Do you like what you see, wife," he smirked as he continued to stroke my hair.

I brought my hands back to his hip bones and stroked down the outside of each thigh. I then ran both hands back up the inside of his thighs, eliciting a slight moan from him even before I cupped his balls with one hand and wrapped the other around his length. He twitched in my hand as I stroked up and down him. When I tore my eyes away to look up at my husband's face, his mouth was open slightly and his eyes hooded . . . obviously enjoying my actions. Though I had never been so bold, I stood and wrapped my arms around him, kissing him hard on the mouth, then gently down his neck as he held me.

"Sit," I said to him and he complied immediately, looking up at me as I stood in front of him. He hugged me to him and his face rested between my bare breasts, eliciting yet another moan from him as he took one of them into his mouth and made sure the other didn't feel neglected by massaging it with his hand. I gently pushed his face away with both of my hands on his cheeks.

"I want to see you," I repeated in his ear as I pushed on his legs to get him to put them on the sofa and lean back against the sofa's arm. He cocked his head and smiled, but then looked at me questioningly as I then pulled his left leg back off so that his foot was on the ground, making room for me to sit between his now spread legs.

I ran my hands from knee to center, up the inside of his thighs, lightly scratching through the curly hair that covered his legs, all the way up to the coarse hair that encircled his hardened length. I had no idea what I was doing, but I was enjoying exploring his body and he seemed quite content with my actions, though confused as I made no move to lie on top of him. I leaned down and let the hair on his thighs tickle my face as I brushed my lips across them, first one and then the other as I gently massaged both inner thighs with my hands. I looked up at his face and he was hungry, beside himself with want but remaining perfectly still, allowing me whatever I wanted.

I ran each thumb through the curly hair at the upper crease of his thighs where they joined his body, eliciting yet another moan from him as my fingers played in the coarse hair there . . . then I grasped him with both hands, running my thumbs over the glistening drops that were gathering at his tip. I was so turned on at this point, so absolutely fascinated with this mysterious part of his anatomy, that I ran my chin up one side of him and down the other while my hands grasped his backside, looking up at him as I placed a kiss on him, then enveloping him with my lips.

His body stiffened, every muscle tense as though I was shocking him and a hiss escaped his lips.

"Isabella . . . wife . . . you don't have to do that . . . you . . . Bella . . . baby"

He motioned to me with one hand as though to shoo me away, the other gripped the back of the sofa. His voice drifted off as his body relaxed and began to move slightly with my actions. I stroked him with my tongue, taking him in as far as I could before I swallowed to enable me to take him in farther. He came unglued, grasping at the back and cushions of the sofa and moaning an almost unintelligible list of swear words as his breathing became labored. I had never done this, or anything remotely like it before, but he seemed to like what I was doing and I loved exploring every part of him. I was no longer shy, embracing all of him fully into and as my life now and I wanted to see and experience everything, every part of him.

I increased my efforts, his response encouraging me and I sucked hard as my tongue swirled around him, moving up and down his length as I continued to massage and squeeze his upper thigh and balls with one hand and hold him to me with the other. It wasn't long before he was writhing beneath me, unable to keep still or quiet. He pushed at my face, trying to get me to unlatch from his length, but I was unwilling to let go. I knew what he was trying to tell me, his words jumbled and mixed up,

"Bella . . . no . . . not in your mouth . . . can't wait . . . Bella . . . oh . . . move . . . wife . . . ahhghhhh".

He tensed a final time as I felt him swell and rise up slightly off the sofa, his hips thrusting towards me and his fingers a vice grip on my head. He screamed my name as he came down my throat, my insistence on keeping him in my mouth having won. His entire body tensed as I felt him come in streams, thrusting just a little further into me with each release and then stilling.

Edward sat up and pulled me up on him so that my body was covering his and wrapped his arms around me, his face tucked into my hair, kissing my head softly. "I don't know what ever possessed you to do that, but if looking at me gets that reaction, I'm never wearing clothes again. Your hands scratching through the hair on my legs and groin is more amazing than I ever dreamed not to mention your mouth on me", he told me as I felt him shiver slightly, remembering the feelings he had just experienced.

"I love you, wife," he repeated over and over to me as he lay there and held me, "You continue to surprise me. I don't know how I ever existed without you and I never want to be away from you again."

"You want to come on boring book tours with me?" I asked him, my chin pressing into his chest as I playfully looked up at him.

"Absolutely. I'll arrange with the hospital to take time off, you just give me the dates next time one comes up, baby. I'm still trying to figure out how I'll manage to go to the hospital for my shift each day and wondering if you might not like to set up a desk in my office that you could use. At least then I could sneak in and see you," Edward told me, and I knew he was only half kidding.

"How about I just come in in the middle of your shift, day or night and we will have a meal together - lunch, dinner, snack . . . whatever. That way, I only go without seeing you for half as long at a time", I suggested as the biggest smile yet . . . okay, maybe not the biggest, but as a smile broke out across his face at my idea.

He sat up, picked me up in his arms and took me to our room to show me just how much he really did like that idea.

This morning we were headed to his parents house to spend the day. They were throwing a barbecue and had invited my parents in addition to Jake and Leah and their kids. Emmett and Rose would be there, off course, along with Edward's twin sister Alice. I suspected that Jasper would be there as well, as he and Alice had become almost inseparable.

Turns out that Emmett and Rose had moved into the condo with Edward when Emmett transferred to NYU the year following Edward's and my move to New York and had stayed with him for their remaining two years in college before moving back to the West coast. Edward had, of course, continued on at NYU getting another friend of his to be roommates for the remaining years and in fact, continuing to stay at the condo even now under a lease agreement with Edward.

Alice still _technically _ lived at home, though I was told that she was at Jasper's as much or more of the time than she was actually home. Jasper was a nice guy and had apparently become a good friend to both Edward and Jake during my absence. It was kind of funny that he had described me to Edward, trying to figure me out before they knew who I was so that I would go out with him. I was still somewhat embarrassed that he had seen me without my clothes on that morning on the beach when I had run out of the house looking for Edward.

We would be telling them all today, announcing to out family and friends that I was pregnant. No one knew but our parents at this point and I expected it to be an exciting day for us.

"Just have some Advil ready for me, wife. My sister will screech and squeal till she has deafened your last nerve, then she will start with the annoying pleas to decorate something . . . you, me, the baby room. It doesn't really matter, as long as she is shopping and decorating!" Edward laughed.

"I just hope my Dad behaves. You just never know with him. He said he would try, but that doesn't mean he is always going to be nice about it," I warned.

"I know," Edward said as he squeezed the hand he was already holding as we drove, "I'm tough. I can take his crap as long as he doesn't upset you. Maybe with time, when he sees how happy you are he'll lighten up. You are happy, right wife?"

"Edward, you would be hard pressed to find anyone happier than I am at this moment," I answered.

He parked the car in their drive and took the key out of the ignition, turning to me slowly. Taking my hands in his, he looked at me with the look of an insecure little boy, not the confident man I knew hm to be.

"We promised, you will never leave me again, right? We will face everything that comes at us together, a united front . . . right?" he asked, his voice breaking with the weight of his emotions.

"Edward, I don't know where this is coming from, but I will never leave you again. I love you. Remember what I told you the first morning we were together last week?" I reminded him gently, "I will never leave you and I will always believe you when you tell me something and you will believe me. Remember?"

He laughed, "You mean if I'm covered in orange paint with a paintbrush in my hand and paint covering the walls and floor and I say I didn't spill the paint, you'll believe me. Right?"

"Absolutely. Without any doubt at all. We ask each other, we answer, we believe the answer we are given. I trust you, Edward and I love you more than I ever thought I was capable of loving anyone . . . I always have," I told him as a tear escaped my eye. He kissed it away and hugged me to him.

"I guess I just needed to hear it, wife. This is the first time, other than with our parents, that we have been with other people out away from our home and I guess I just got a little scared about sharing you with others and all the problems that the world can bring into our lives. I just needed to know that we were as solid as I thought we were, and you just reaffirmed it to me. I really do love you, you know," he said with his forehead pressed to mine.

"I know. I love you the same. Let's go share some of this with our family and friends, husband, before I have a need to see a little more of you right now!" I said.

"Damn woman, have you not had enough? I'm kind of surprised you can still walk this week. It looks like I am going to have my hands full keeping you satisfied," Edward exclaimed.

"You just keep trying and so will I," I said as I reached for the hardening length concealed by his jeans and rubbed up and down his length.

"Fuck, wife! What the hell? I can't go in there pitching a tent like this - you might have to help me with it right here in the car," Edward said as he pressed my hand harder into him and consumed my lips with his.

"Dude, are you guys getting out of the car?" Jake said as he knocked on the car window. We hadn't heard him and the kids approach the car and they were all waiting expectantly on us to greet them. Jake just snickered as I got out of the car and walked around to where they were, giving Edward a little time to adjust himself so that he was presentable. Jake's kids were getting so big! The twins were in second grade now, the middle boy was three and talking up a storm as they all converged to say hello and wait to see Daddy's friend, Edward. Leah approached with the baby in her arms. She looked worlds better than back at Christmas and the surprised look she had worn on her face last weekend when she had seen Edward and I together at his house had calmed down somewhat into more of a crooked grin.

"It's great to see you again, Bella. You look wonderful!" Leah told me as Edward slipped his arm around me standing slightly behind me, probably to hide the slowly shrinking bulge in his jeans.

"I'm just glad to be here and happy to see everyone," I told her as Jake hugged me, lifting me off the ground.

We walked in to greet the family gathered in the living room and on the back deck. There were lots of congratulations from everyone about us having found each other again, now that they all knew the story of what had happened. No one seemed happier for us than Jake as he beamed ear to ear.

"No one is ever putting me in a position like that again," he said, "Edward kept begging me for information about you and when I finally saw his bedroom, I was convinced he was either in love, or had given up women and was batting for the other team. Eddie going for guys just didn't seem likely, so I figured he was just whipped and needed you back, Bella," Jake told me, "I never thought I would see the day that someone tamed _Edward Cullen_, but it has come!"

"No arguments from me, Jake. She completely owns me and I like it that way," Edward said laughingly, "I have never been happier, my friend. James was right, she is totally worth it."

I saw my Dad's eyebrow shoot up where he was standing talking to Carlisle across the room from us when that comment was said, apparently eaves dropping was something he was not above doing. He really didn't like Edward and I know he still didn't believe that it wasn't Edward that had gotten me pregnant in the first place.

"Eddie, you look great man. Much better than I've seen you since you moved back. I guess getting laid agrees with you!" Emmett blurted out. Rose smacked him as quickly as the words were out of his mouth.

"Emmett! Honestly, when will you use your manners. I know you have them because I raised you! behave," Esme said as she grabbed his ear and twisted it.

Edward and I sat together on the deck, our legs crossed together on the bench and plates in our laps as we ate. It was a beautiful day, quite nice for winter in the North West. The fire blazing in the Chiminea heaters at the corners of the deck kept it warm enough to enjoy being outside. He seemed a little nervous, I supposed it was just being around so much family at one time when we had spent the week virtually alone.

Carlisle called everyone into the living room and stood in front of the mantle. "I just want to congratulate Edward on finding the woman he loves and vice versa, Bella, and though they have been married for over five years now, I would like to _officially_ welcome her into the family."

"Thank you, Mom, Dad. I truly have never been happier. Bella and I have an announcement to make", he said as I stood and joined him by his father, "but I have something I need to do first."

Edward turned to me and took my hand in his.

"Bella, I have known you were special from the moment I first saw you. I didn't like you then because you scared me. I have loved you from the moment I said I do and took you as my wife years ago and again even more now that we live together as man and wife", he told me as tears started to roll down my cheeks. He sunk to one knee in front of me as my breath caught and I thought my heart would stop.

"I never got the opportunity to ask you properly, so I would like to do it now," he said as he held a ring in his hand.

"Isabella Cullen, will you do me the honor of continuing to be my wife and the mother of my children for the rest of our lives?" he asked. He really asked on bended knee in front of his entire family as well as mine.

"Husband, yes. Yes, I will be your wife and the mother of your children for the rest of our lives."

"This ring was my grandmother's, and I want no other to have it but you, wife," he said as he kissed the third finger of my right hand that he had slipped the ring on.

I don't know what happened first, if the crowd started whooping and hollering or if Edward stood and picked me up as he kissed me passionately. I felt pats on the back and hugs all around, but the only one that mattered was Edward. He finally set me down to stand beside me and tried to shush everyone.

"There is more," he said as the room quieted to hear what he had to say. "Assuming my wife can get away from her duties as an author", Edward looked at me and smiled the crooked grin that I loved so, "I have obtained a few more weeks off from work, seeing as how I know some of the higher ups at the hospital who seem to be able to work miracles", he nodded to his Dad who smiled at him in return and took a mock bow, "and . . . as I never took my bride on a honeymoon, I would like to correct that injustice with these . . . ," he pulled some tickets off the mantle and handed them to me, "We will be unavailable to all for three weeks in Hawaii."

I couldn't believe he had done this. He amazed me at every turn. Who would have thought the boy I once thought was the most self centered ass on the planet would turn out to be the sweetest most thoughtful man alive . . . and he was mine. I had fought for him and gotten him back, and he truly was mine forever.

"Oh, and one more thing," Edward said as he held his arm around me and smiled. I nodded to him, this time knowing what he was about to announce.

"We are expecting twins."

~oooOooo~


	14. Chapter 14 Friends

**Disclaimer:** All the Twilight stuff belongs to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. I'm just playing in her sandbox.

**Chapter 14 **

**EPOV**

"It was Monday morning. Dad had asked me to come to the hospital this morning for a couple of consults and to tie up some loose ends. I had not been away from Bella since she had come back to me 10 days ago and I had no desire to be away from her now, but it was the least I could do. Carlisle had arranged nor only for me to have emergency leave last week, but for me to be gone for three more weeks. Three weeks with my wife before I had to be parted from her even long enough to do my shift at the hospital. She was taking this time today to get her affairs in order with her publisher and clear her schedule for the next few weeks as well. Bella was actually ahead on turning in required amounts of the next book, so it would not be a problem for her to take the time off. She insisted that she wanted to bring a laptop, shyly admitting that she thought there would be some amazing views and atmosphere on the island and she needed to write, or at least jot down ideas while she was inspired.

I could give a damn. Fuck all if it mattered to me if she wanted to work, as long as I was with her, wrapped around her reading a book or rubbing her shoulders while she typed . . . I could care less. I was so fucking excited to just be with her that I would take anything she had to offer at this point. The fact that she loved me, wanted us and we were expecting just tickled the shit out of me. I was happier than I had ever been, rivaling the happiest motherfucker on the planet I'd wager.

I parked in my space and headed in, nodding to the folks that I hadn't seen in a week. They must have thought it odd that I wasn't there, hell I was _always _at the hospital, ever since I had started there I was there almost 24/7 whether it was my shift or not. I slept there half the time. Not now. I had not so much as called in in the last week. I had communicated via Carlisle and consulted with him on a few cases using the computer at my house, but nothing too time consuming.

Carlisle had told the staff that I was out on _emergency leave_ and had not elaborated to any of them except to tell them that I was physically fine, just taking care of something important. Damned right it was important, more important than anything ever had been as far as I was concerned. Though it was a small town, I had no contact for the last week with any of the people I worked with . . . especially Jessica.

She had sent me a couple of texts, asking if I had come to my senses and telling me that she forgave me for being so rude to her, but I had not answered her. In truth, I probably did owe her some explanation. She had spent time with me and put up with me when I was at my lowest point, but on the other hand, she had used my mood to her advantage . . . and I had not put a stop to it. I had allowed the rumor that we were engaged. She had worn my grandmother's ring and I had not embarrassed her by refuting it when people congratulated her in front of me or even when they congratulated me. I had just changed the subject or walked away, letting them think whatever the hell they wanted.

I was so fucking stupid. I should have been stronger, I should have stood up for myself, for my marriage . . .I was just so hurt I could barely function. It wasn't that I didn't have the balls to do it, I just didn't care. At all. Resisting anything, confronting anyone was just not in me. I simply went with the path of least resistance, whatever was the easiest thing to do, whatever caused the least ripples, that was what I did . . . unless it came to sex.

Anything more than a chaste kiss had not occurred and would not occur. Ever. I knew who I loved and I would settle for no less. I had given my word when we were married, my word that I would love her and be faithful and for whatever reason, the damned vows stuck . . . unbreakable . . . and all alone in the quiet of night I could admit to myself that I didn't want to break them, I just wanted her.

I headed to Carlisle's office first to check in with him. The shift had not started yet and I knew that, though it was early, he would be there quietly going over his case load.

"Edward, come in, son," my father greeted me, rising from his desk and coming round to give me a hug, "Nice to see you back here. I think the entire hospital missed you, you've become a fixture around here in just the few months you've been here with me."

"Thanks, Dad. I can't say that I've missed anything this last week, the hospital included," I said with a smile, my Dad's answering snicker telling me he understood, "But I do enjoy working here with you."

"I'm just so happy for you, son. You know," Carlisle said, "after our talk . . . when you first told me the story of getting married and moving to New York together and then her leaving, I went back and looked up all my old files on her. Hell, son, I even looked up the hospital records for accidents and emergency visits, you know how accident prone she used to be, to see if I could get her address."

"Dad!"

"I know, I know. Hipaa. But I thought if I pulled the files, being her doctor of record in the past, that I could call her, contact her in some way and try to persuade her to contact you. I told you that I would help you find her, son, and that's what I was trying to do but there was nothing. I ran into her father, Chief Swan, a time or two in emergency when he would bring in some prisoner for testing or after an injury, but he would give me nothing. Every time I asked about her he would just say she was doing fine and change the subject, not even a hint about where she was or what she was doing.

"Well I have her now Dad, and I really appreciate that you understood and that you were trying to help. I knew if I could just find her that it could all be explained away . . . I knew she loved me and I damned sure knew I loved her.

We both smiled at each other and Dad patted me on the back a few times, going to his desk to pick up a couple of his files.

"What"s on the agenda?" I asked as he handed me a list of patients.

"I need you to check out the Thompson boy in the Nicu, he was born six weeks early and there are some issues. He's the one you consulted with me on last week and there is a Carolyn Maddox in labor and delivery. She's almost 8 weeks early and they are having no success so far stopping the contractions. I need an assessment from you and if I can't get her labor stopped I'll need you for the delivery in order to give that baby every chance we can", he shook his head, then went on to say, "they are a young couple, third attempt at having a child. She stayed in bed and followed every directive so far, very easy to work with."

"Damn.," I said out loud without even noticing it while I looked at her chart, "Why the hell do the little ones have to be so impatient to get out here? They are so much better off when we can keep them in Mom till the last minute. I'll go check her now, maybe there is something I can come up with that will help."

"By all means. Let me know after you assess her, I should still be here but just use my cell, the hospital paging is slower." Dad laughed knowing that I, of course, had his private number.

"Dr. Cullen," several of the nurses nodded as I left his office and headed for delivery. They were certainly snickering about something. Damned hospital gossip. Wonder what it was this time, Dr. John Doe was banging nurse Jane Doe, blah blah blah. It was always someone doing someone, or doing someone wrong. Whatever, I had not been concerned with the idle gossip in the past and now my life had no room for anything but Bella and maybe a splash of family and work . . . maybe.

The Maddox's were in delivery looking like their world was shattering . . . again, from what I knew of their history. I checked everything. Every possible thing I could think of. Of course I did that with every case, each child was precious and deserved every chance . . . but I looked at everything_ twice _this time desperately trying to help these parents. The baby's vitals were good, he was obviously a fighter and I was determined to give him and the drugs we were giving him to help develop his lungs, a fighting chance. I worked with them for several hours achieving some small success in stopping the contractions intensity and frequency. Things seemed to be calming down and the pregnancy was still intact. It would just be a waiting game. Every day, every hour that we kept the baby _in _the Mom his chances of survival rose.

I returned the chart to the nurses desk. "Congratulations Dr. Cullen," Mrs. Cope said as I handed it to her. She was a dear, one of those charge nurses that had been there forever and a vital part of making this unit function as a whole.

"Thanks. Still touch and go though, but we'll hope for the best. Let me know if there is any change in Mrs. Maddox, use my cell directly, I'll be around the rest of the afternoon", I told her as I headed to the Nicu to visit the Thompson baby.

I loved my job, absolutely fucking loved helping tiny innocent babies to survive, giving them a chance. My being here, in this profession and good at my job was entirely due to Bella. She had wanted me to continue, to become a doctor. Not just any doctor, she had wanted me to excel in my specialty. I hadn't realized, nor had she, that my field of interest would turn to pediatrics . . . to babies in specific. It was obvious, of course, that it had been Jaymee-Rose that had done it. I was obsessed with the months of pregnancy as it related to the growth of the child and the immediate health of the baby, post delivery.

Obsessed.

It was like I somehow thought I could get my daughter back if I just learned enough, if I was good enough at what I did. It forced me to be the best, drove me to learn every single thing I could . . . kept me up and going for days without sleep so that I could study and learn, surpassing all my fellow students by sheer determination and will. It was in fact my need not to think - to have not a single fucking moment to consider that Bella was not with me, that she had left. If I worked hard enough, studied long enough, spent enough hours at the hospital both when I was in school and even here, once I had moved home to Forks and started working with my father, I could almost fool myself into thinking that I was _just at work, just studying. _I could ignore that there was nothing else for me, nothing at home for me. After all, I was at the hospital doing what Bella had wanted me to do and somehow it . . . got me through.

I walked to the desk and asked for the chart, flipping through it to make sure I was up to date on everything that had transpired since I did the consult with Carlisle last week. It was difficult to separate the need for the twins that I had fathered to survive with the desire to help the Thompson baby. He was the surviving twin . . . the one who lived out of the two babies that were born. Twins were routinely born early and one was almost always larger, sometimes significantly larger than the other and this was no different. The little boy had made it so far and I wanted to help him continue to breath in and out with the least amount of energy expanded from him so that he could use his strength to grow and become stronger.

One of my favorite nurses, Angela, was on duty and caring for the baby when I walked into the nicu. I immediately felt comforted that the baby was getting every possible attention, as I knew her to be an excellent nurse, one of the very best on staff. She was a friend, well, as much of a friend as I allowed anyone to be. She was kind and caring and she and I had coffee occasionally when we found ourselves in the lounge or cafeteria together. I wondered for a moment if Bella would enjoy her company, we would probably be inviting friends over at some point or going out to dinner with them and I thought of Angela first on my list of people that I would like my wife to meet.

I made some notes, did an assessment and left orders on the chart. The baby was doing well and I saw no problems arising which I knew would be a relief to both his parents and my father.

"Angela, here's the Thompson chart. The baby is progressing nicely, good work with him," I said casually, "You're really good with the little ones."

"Thank you, Doctor. I hear congratulations are in order," she said, smiling at me as we stood at the nurses station.

"Congratulations for what, the Maddox's labor? A little too early to tell on that one, but I'm hopeful," I responded, not knowing how the hell she knew about that. Then again, it was a small hospital and there were few secrets.

"No, not the labor or babies. I mean on your marriage," she said nodding to the ring on my finger, "We all knew you wore a wedding ring when you first came here, but everyone soon realized that you apparently just wore it to keep the girls away. Smart move. It seemed to mostly work for you, that is until Jessica got you to take it off and you got engaged."

Realization dawned on me. It was a small town and a relatively small hospital. They all thought I had been engaged to Jessica. Shit. I needed to fix this and fix it now.

"You and Jessica both being away on _personal_ leave last week was kind of a dead give away though, especially with that ring back on your finger now," she chided me.

Fuck. I suppose Angela was the best place to start.

"How about getting a cup of coffee with me, Angela?" I asked.

"Excellent timing, as ever. I was just going on my break," she said, "let me tell Sara I'll be out for a few minutes."

I stood there waiting for her, reeling in my own damned stupid fucking inability to have put a stop to the Jessica thing months ago. Now it was an issue and what never was had turned into a rumor and rumors in a hospital spread like wildfire. I wondered briefly why the hell Jessica hadn't been at work last week . . . had she really been that upset from walking in on Bella and I that Saturday morning? She couldn't have been in love with me, I had never returned any of her advances, or any feelings for her. Fuck. I used to love that the _Edward Cullen _could dampen the underwear of any woman with only a glance, but not anymore. There was only one woman that I cared to affect that way . . . and I did. Angela walked up to me, rousing me from my musings.

We walked to the lounge which, thankfully was empty. I got us both coffee and we went to sit on the sofa by the window.

"Angela. I need you to know something about me. You are probably the closest thing I have to a friend here in the hospital. I say it that way because I haven't been very open to making friends, hell I haven't even been very nice to staff," I said to her.

"You have never been rude to me, Doctor," she added quietly.

"Edward. Please, call me Edward," I asked her.

"Edward then. You have just seemed professional and here to do a job, not gossip and chat like the others. I admire that," Angela told me, "I remember that you were like that when you were in college here."

That's where I knew her from. Damn, she had been in some of my classes before I moved to New York.

"I thought you seemed familiar, Angela. I didn't remember you from college, I'm sorry," I added.

"That's exactly what I mean. You were focused, although . . . you seemed focused on having a good time back then," she snickered, looking down at her coffee and seeming embarrassed that she had just said that.

"I certainly was. It was all about me back then," I laughed, "I thought I hung the moon and everything revolved around me. I had no fucking clue!"

"Well, being away in the big city seemed to cure that. It takes a lot of dedicating to achieve what you have in such a short amount of time, I know your father is extremely proud of you."

"He is. He has always been there for me, but I own everything that I am today to my wife," I said, studying her carefully as I said it to see how she was going to react.

"Huh. I didn't think you had been together that long. Jessica just started working here before Christmas. She must have had quite an effect on you," Angela half smirked at me. She was smiling and obviously happy for me. Apparently she did not know Jessica very well.

"Angela, you are the very first person I have told this to and you may well be the only person I am going to tell. I was never engaged to Jessica. She assumed that all by herself and wore my grandmother's ring only because she put it on to admire it when my Mom gave it to me," I told her. She looked astonished.

"You were never engaged to her? But you stopped wearing your wedding ring, you and she went out . . .", I stopped her short.

"I was so fucking distraught over something else in my life, so nearly incapacitated by it, I wrongly allowed Jessica to say whatever the hell she wanted. I didn't care enough to dispute anything and I took the path of least resistance. If she kept nagging me to go to dinner or a movie, I went and she hushed. I only ever kissed her chastely, and then it was her kissing me, never the other way around. I have always been faithful to my wife."

I studied her even more closely now, letting my words sink in. Angela finally looked up at me, her head cocked to one side and a question on her lips.

"Your _wife_?" she asked.

"Yes. I was married when I was 21 years old, before I left for New York and I have always remained faithful to her", Angela looked as though she would burst with a million questions, but I continued. "Something happened at Christmas that made me think it was over between us, my wife and I. I took my ring off and word it on a chain around my neck and I allowed Jessica to talk me into going out. There was never an emotional attachment of any kind . . . how could there be," I shrugged my shoulders, "I felt dead inside."

"Edward, I"m so sorry," she said putting a hand on mine to comfort me.

"Thank you", I told her, ducking my head, "but it was my own fault."

"But you seem so happy today and your wedding ring is on your finger. I just assumed that since both of you were unexpectedly away last week that you had gotten married," she told me, still trying to understand.

"Actually, I am the happiest man on the planet," I could not control the goofy grin that I was sure was plastered on my face, "My wife came back to me last Saturday. I had seen her for a day at Christmas, but before that we had been apart for almost five years. I can not imagine any possible way to be happier than I am right now."

I told her some of our story, leaving out some of the details like the fact that Bella had thought she was pregnant and that was the reason for the marriage in the first place. I sure as shit wasn't disclosing intimate details, and I wasn't sure we were ever going to discuss that with anyone. She was almost in tears when I had finished. She seemed so happy for me that she was going to explode.

Before I knew it, her arms we around my neck and I felt her wet tears on my cheek. Of course, _that _was the moment my wife decided to walk into the lounge. She had brought me lunch as a surprise. I knew my wife was an amazing woman, but her reaction to what she saw told me everything. She came in the lounge after peeking in and seeing me, but what she had seen was just my back and my arms around a brunette, her face buried in my shoulder and her arms around my neck. She knew it was me instantly from the coppery tangled hair, no one else had that mop on their head.

"Sweetheart," she said, never missing a step and placing our lunch on one of the tables near me, "are you alright?"

I noticed that Angela looked mortified, apparently realizing who Bella was from the way she greeted me. She undoubtedly assumed that there would be a huge fight over this, my wife thinking that something was going on with her husband. She couldn't have been more wrong.

I patted Angela on the back reassuringly and stood to greet my wife, hugging her to me and kissing her lips. She wiped the wetness from Angela's tears off my cheek with her knuckles, looking intently into my eyes for an explanation. Her expression was not one of jealous, but of concern. She had just walked in and found me alone, in the arms of another woman and she was fucking worried about me. Damn, I didn't deserve her but I was sure as hell never going to let her down or disappoint her.

"Baby, I'm fine."

She turned to look at Angela.

"Angela, I'd like you to meet my wife, Isabella Cullen. Bella, this is Angela, the absolute best nurse in the Nicu."

Bella held her hand out, at least the one that wasn't wrapped around me and Angela shook it. "Nice to meet you, Angela," she said with a firm, even voice.

"Mrs. Cullen I . . . I want you to know that . . . well we were just . . . ," my wife cut her off.

"Angela, you are under the assumption that I'm upset about seeing you hugging my husband, am I right?" Bella asked her.

"Well, yes . . . aren't you, I mean . . . I can explain," Angela told her.

"No," Bella shook her head, "I trust my husband and I'm sure he'll explain, although he never needs to."

The words no sooner left her lips than mine consumed them. I kissed her passionately. They could sell fucking tickets for all I cared, she was the only thing in my world that truly mattered to me and she just made good on the promise we had made to each other, the only thing I had asked of her - other than that she never leave me again. I recalled the words we had spoken to each other -

_When we leave this bed this morning, we never doubt each other again. No matter what. No matter how bad the situation seems, we always give each other the benefit of the doubt. And we will not be parted . . . . . . If I find you standing in the middle of a room, your clothes covered in orange paint and paint all over the walls and floor with a brush in your hand and you say you didn't do it. You didn't do it. Agreed. Forever._

I finally got Angela to calm down and understand that my wife trusted me and I explained to my wife the conversation that Angela and I had just shared. Bella had set out the lunch that she brought for us and offered to share with Angela. She had refused, insisting that we eat our lunch in peace, but Bella had invited her to at least sit at the table with us and have her coffee. I ran through a synopsis of what I had told Angela and Bella's eyes twinkled. I knew what she was thinking but I also knew that she wanted to wait to announce the pregnancy. If today was any indication, just announcing the existence of my wife was going to fucking turn this hospital upside down.

We three chatted and though I could not keep my hands to myself, I at least allowed her use of her lips to talk to Angela as well as eat her lunch. I could see that Angela and Bella were going to be great friends and it made me happy to share some of my life, in whatever form, with my wife. I wanted her to meet everyone while she was here, but I realized that only Angela and Mrs. Cope in delivery were of any consequence to me. I was pulled from my thoughts by a high pitched sound, coming from Angela.

"Hawaii?" she squealed. Bella had told her about our trip, and I explained.

"Carlisle gave me the rest of the month off. I'm just here for a couple of consults, then we are off for the honeymoon I never got to give my wife," I told her as I leaned over to kiss my wife, beaming with joy at sharing our happiness with another person openly.

"Bella, apparently Jessica took off last week as well and when I showed up this morning with a smile on my face and ring on my finger, the apparent assumption was that we got married," I explained.

Angela literally blew coffee from her nose, her surprise was so complete. We both laughed quietly at her, causing her to turn a very strange shade of red. After she had finished cleaning the coffee off her face and the table in front of her, we continued to talk.

"We have no secrets, Angela," Bella told her, "that's one of the reasons that I could walk in here and see you two together and not give it a second thought, except of course to wonder what was wrong. When you tell each other everything and trust each other lots of things are possible and it eliminates so many misunderstands and upsets." She looked at me, stared into my eyes while speaking to Angela, "and I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that my husbands loves me and is faithful, and I feel the same for him." She was obviously remembering the same conversation that I had remembered just moments ago. Damn I loved this woman.

I smirked, "My wife owns me,Angela, and I like it that way".

Angela just smiled at us, half laughing. We cleaned up our mess from lunch and left the lounge, promising to get together with Angela and her boyfriend, Ben, for dinner when we got back from our trip. I took my wife's hand and walked down the corridor with her, garnering quite a few looks. No one at the hospital had ever seen me touch another person, hold hands, nothing. Apparently I was noticed quite a bit more than I realized . . . or liked.

We got to delivery and Mrs. Cope was behind the desk. Just who I wanted to see. I asked for the Maddox chart and checked the numbers for the last couple of hours that I had been away. Things were looking up and it looked like we wold be able to keep the baby in the Mom for a little longer. That was good news and much needed for the almost parents. I noticed a look from her when I handed her back the chart. Bella was standing behind me, her hand tracing circles absently on my back as she waited for me. I had wanted her to come with me to the nurses station just so that I could introduce her and now was the time.

"Mrs. Cope," I said, gaining her attention from where she was placing the chart back on the patient rack.

"Yes, Doctor?" she quickly responded. I took Bella's hand in mine and put my other arm around her as I spoke."

"I'd like to introduce you to my wife, Isabella Cullen," I said gesturing to the woman beside me, "Bella, this is Mrs. Cope. She actually runs the unit, just don't tell Dad I said that."

"This is your wife?" she said, gesturing to Bella. "Well, I am so very happy to meet you my dear and so very glad that the rumor about you being married to Jessica isn't true. I knew you had better judgment and taste. Nasty young woman that Jessica, full of herself if you don't mind me saying."

Bella and I both could not help but laugh. "No, we don't mind, Mrs. Cope. We just don't want there to be any hard feelings here at work."

"When did all this happen, Dr. Cullen? I thought you just wore that ring to keep the ladies off of you", she allowed with a smile.

"No, actually we have been married for over five years now, my wife has been away," I told her.

"Well, Bella is it?" she asked and Bella nodded, "Off the record, if I were married to a man that looked like he does, I would never let hm up for air, if you know what I mean."

"I absolutely agree," Bella said to her, leaning towards the counter to get closer to her ear as though what she was about to say was a secret, "It's just that his patients probably won't take him seriously if my lips are surgically attached to him! But, I will try my best not to let him breath the next few weeks. Edward is taking me on the honeymoon we never got to have and I'll have him to myself for the next few weeks anyway."

"Congratulations you two," she said again and several of the other nurses that had been standing near and listening congratulated us as well. I hugged Bella to me, hearing something drop behind me. I turned to see the livid face of the next person I was going to have to deal with . . . Jessica.


	15. Chapter 15  Loose Ends

**Disclaimer:** All the Twilight stuff belongs to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. I'm just playing in her sandbox.

**Chapter 15 Loose Ends**

_Hearing something drop and hit the floor, I turned to see the livid face of the next person I was going to have to deal with . . . Jessica._

**Jessica POV**

He brought her here? . . . to the hospital? . . . where all my friends will see him with her?

Oh no he did not!

"Jessica, I believe something got dropped", Mrs. Cope sarcastically stated as she stared at me. There were muffled laughs and snickers from the other nurses behind the desk as well as everyone, Edward and _that girl_ included.

I just stood there, unable to move. He was wearing that damned wedding ring of his again and she had not only a huge rock on her left hand alongside a wedding ring, but his grandmother's ring that I had been wearing was sitting right there on her right hand. He had given her that damned ring as well. _My_ ring! I just stared at him, not knowing whether to scratch his eyes out or hers, or whether to just greet him as I normally would and ignore her existence. He would come to his senses soon enough, he certainly would not shelf me for her for long.

I remembered her from when we were in high school together. Mousy little brunette nothing. Kept to herself, no real friends except for maybe Angela. Police Chief's daughter . . . that didn't help her popularity any. Last time I had seen her was at the fabulous graduation party that my parents had thrown for me at our new home. Angela had brought her with her to my party and I hadn't said anything, I hadn't invited her but the more the merrier. Of course, everyone had wanted to come and I didn't blame her for that.

She had been going out with that looser, James . . . till he died that is. Threw himself off a cliff. Ha! I would too if I had only her to fuck. That's what had done it. Edward couldn't fucking stand her either till James died. He must have felt sorry for her or James or something . . . something made him pay attention to her after that. Hell, he was a sophomore in college and she was just a high school girl. I even saw him talking with her and her father at graduation, after the ceremony. He _kissed _her on the cheek before he left that day! Outrageous!

Edward was such a stud, even then. Good looking, smart and well hung according to half the female population in the town of Forks. Rumor was that not only was he hung, but he knew exactly what to do with it as well. They would know, he fucked most of them . . . at least once. He supposedly didn't ever go back for seconds, the conquest seemed to be the game for him.

He had felt sorry for her, too, that night at the Halloween party when Tyler and Mike pulled that prank on her just to get her to kiss Mike so he could win that stupid bet. Bella had been such a stupid little idiot even back then, thinking Mike was really shot and bleeding! What an idiot! Edward though . . . my Edward. He was afraid she was going into shock or something as pale as she was and he had wanted James to take her to a doctor or to a hospital or some shit like that. Bitch. A guy like Edward should never even have to think of bothering with a girl like that. He was the 'A' list, and she . . . was not.

I just couldn't figure it out . . . why was he standing there holding her hand? Why had he told me to leave his house a week ago when I had come over to cook breakfast and found her there with him? None of it made since. Wife? How the hell could _she_ be his wife when he was engaged to me? He hadn't even bothered to return my calls or texts all last week!

Oh no, I had worked too hard, endured weeks with no sex trying to snag him. Spending time with him. Pecks on the cheek my ass. I never could even get his tongue inside my mouth. All for what, so that he could be faithful to _that_? He was _mine. _I was the one that would be enjoying Daddy's money, as well as Edward's. He didn't want for anything and I was hell bent on having that lifestyle as well. Marrying him would insure that. I could have what I wanted and I could give up this damned job and pamper myself like I deserved.

I knew her story. I went on line and found out everything I could about her. I even went to Hulu and watched the tape of the Oprah Show that she did, promoting her book. I read the damned book. The book couldn't really have been about her and James and Edward though, the damned book had a _happily ever after ending _for her and her husband. Fantasy, pure and simple. She was a writer and she imagined a story that people would want to read and think about and she wrote it. Money, that's all that was for, and probably lots of it.

Edward had not been with her . . . he never mentioned any girl. He had moved back home from New York and lived with his parents till he bought that cottage on the beach. No one ever saw him with a girl . . . I had checked and asked everyone once I got back in town and started working here at the hospital. Hell, till I insisted and dragged him away, he pretty much lived at the hospital, whether he was on duty or not. He was difficult, though. Definitely not the Edward Cullen from our high school days that would fuck most anything in a skirt.

Something had changed.

I wondered if he had gotten into drugs, but he showed no signs of it, well, other than his lack of interest in sex. He wore short sleeved shirts and there were no needle marks, not that he would be stupid enough to let them show if they had been there. Pills? Were there pills that kept you from being horny . . . at all? I couldn't even get a rise out of him when I would brush up against his dick on purpose, or _accidentally _let my hand wander there. He moved, or moved me away every time with no reaction from his dick. None. It just wasn't even normal.

When I saw his bedroom, I thought maybe he preferred guys or something. I had never known a man to have a fairytale like king sized canopied bed and not have a woman that shared it with him. Either that or he was just really a sensitive thoughtful guy that wanted the woman to feel like a princess. I preferred to think that was the reason. He was waiting for a princess . . . and I was going to be her. He never invited me in, though. The only way I had gotten to even see his room is that I had insisted when I came to pick him up one day that I had to use the rest room and that I could not wait. He was so reluctant to let me inside the cottage it was ridiculous, like I was a fox trying to gain access to the hen house. Of course, I kind of was . . .

I just wasn't sure how to react to this . . . to him bringing her here.

Edward stooped down and picked up the books that I had dropped, handing them to me.

"Good morning, Jessica," he said casually as he took her hand in his again.

Good morning, Jessica? _Good morning Jessica? _ Was that really how it was going to be. He just thought he would act as though there had never been anything between us? Well . . . we would just see about that.

"Good morning, baby", I said as I kissed him on the cheek and headed toward the office. "Sorry, gotta go, I'm late for a meeting," I called to him over my shoulder as I disappeared down the hall. Embarrass me where I worked would he, well . . . I would certainly show him . . .

~oooOooo~

**EPOV**

It was hard to believe it had been two weeks, two weeks of watching her on the beach . . . two weeks with no contact with anyone else that was involved in our lives . . .

The last three weeks had been the best weeks of my life. My wife was back. I felt as though my fucking dead heart was beating again, like I could breath when I hadn't been able to for so long

I had enjoyed our time together in New York at our apartment, weeks alone before school started when we did nothing but watch movies, talk, stroll hand in hand in the park. We had bought furniture and decorated our new home there together, prepared meals and slept together every night. We grew close and I realized, or finally admitted to myself that I had fucking fallen in love with her . . . we each fell in love with the other . . . but neither of us dared express our feelings because of the fucked up shit that had brought us together in the first place. I kissed her goodnight on the cheek each evening as I got into bed with her, but there was never more than that. Sometimes I would spoon with her and put my arm around her, but it was never in a sexual way. We thought she was pregnant with Jame's baby and even though she was my wife, anything to do with sex was off the table at least till after his child was born. I wasn't even sure she would ever have me in that way . . . as her true husband in every sense, including having sex with me.

It was different now. The last three weeks we were indeed husband and wife in every sense of the word. We slept together, but it never involved clothing, always involved sex and only occurred after we exhausted ourselves with multiple orgasms in every position we could think of. Talk about a hand full in bed, my wife absofuckinglutely _loved_ sex. The woman was perfect for me in every way. She never seemed to get enough of me. But then, maybe . . . just maybe it was me she loved, not just the sex.

Bella had only had sex twice that first night with James and then once with me on the sofa at her cottage five years later. That is up till she came to reclaim me three weeks ago. I had no idea how many times we had made love since then . . . I was sure it was at least every morning and every evening before bed and that would put the number in the forties . . . but we almost never ever did it only once at a time. If I didn't find some reason to wake her up in the middle of the night, like the dog having to go out, then it was her saying she was tired and needed an afternoon nap . . . which rarely involved sleeping till much later in the day than when we first laid down together. No, I would estimate our number to now be at least double that and I was sure it would continue to climb if I could keep up with her. I laughed at the very idea . . . me, the Edward Cullen, master of all things to do with sex . . . the guy that could make a girls panties wet just by fucking giving them the look . . . and now it was me trying to keep up with her. It didn't matter though, the only girls panties I wanted wet belonged to my wife.

I was actually surprised the first week we were together at my cottage . . . surprised that she could actually walk and was not in pain. I thought my dick being in her as much as it was, as many hours of the day as we spent grinding into each other, that she would be exceedingly sore . . . rubbed fucking raw even but it never seemed to be the case. If she was sore, she never gave any indication and continued to initiate sex at every opportunity.

Though Bella had not had experience with sex, or sexual practices, everything seemed to come easily for her. No pun intended. She instinctively knew where and how to touch me that drove me insane. She had never even seen a man naked before, but it didn't matter. Just the feel of her hand on my skin was sometimes all it would take to almost make me come. She just had a way about her . . . she always knew exactly where to touch me and when to be rough, well, as rough as a 110 pound petite little drink of water could be.

I on the other hand tried to be very careful with her. I was over 200 pounds and six foot two and she was just so little compared to me. She pushed me to my limits wanting more, driving me as wild with need as she possible could, then quenching that need till I was jello in her hands . . . and she was jello in mine as well. She owned me . . . and we both knew it.

Her beautiful pale skin had gotten a bit too much exposure to the sun. The rays were incredibly strong here, nothing like the North West or New York, or even Phoenix where she had spent some of her youth. We should have gone heavier on the sun block. I hadn't been able to hold her shoulders like I liked to, running my arms underneath hers and grasping onto the tops of her shoulders as I sheathed myself time and time again in her warmth. It was just starting to feel better and I had invested a small fortune in sunblock, determined that I would not be forced to be inhibited around her in that way again. Bella and I absolutely adored making love with each other, but my wife also liked to fuck. Really fuck . . . just like I did. We were perfect together.

I peeked up from the book I was trying to concentrate on, the wind had blown the scent of her perfume across the room to me. She had been at her computer for an hour or two and it was now late afternoon and the sunlight was streaming in the window of the home I had rented for our time here. I hadn't wanted to be in a hotel or near a city, though we could easily get in the car and go out for some clubbing or nightlife if we wanted to and we had been to some amazing restaurants.

We preferred to be somewhat isolated with our own house and pool just up from the private beach and well away from any one else. It also allowed us to give a shit less about clothing, which was great with me. Bella seemed to enjoy looking at my naked or half clothed form and I sure as hell enjoyed looking at her. Right now she was wearing a swim suit cover up that was made of a gauze like material, like that old fashioned gauze bandages they used in hospitals way back when. It fucking covered nothing, but gave her the feeling that she was dressed. Perfect. My confident Bella and see through clothes made my day. The only difference in her body that I could see since Christmas, which was the first time I had seen her naked, was that her nipples had darkened slightly and her breasts were larger. Larger and way more sensitive. Bonus. Her stomach was so flat and perfect, it was hard for me to realize that there were two small babies growing there, even though I had viewed the ultrasound myself.

I walked over and bent down behind her to cup both her breasts with my hands and nuzzle my face down into the crook of her neck to give her a kiss there. I held her, hugging her to me and kneading her breasts with my fingers, her nipples hardening at my touch as traced my thumbs over them. She was barely able to finish the sentence she had been typing before she arched her back and her moans started. I don't know when I became such a sap - i never used to just hug a woman and smell their hair and nuzzle their neck. Screw that, all I wanted was my dick in or on some part of them, preferably somewhere soft and wet either pumping in and out or being sucked. Guess being in love had changed some of that. Don't get me wrong, I loved my dick being involved in anything to do with her, but it didn't have to be for me to still love doing whatever it was. Hell, I even liked sitting on the beach with her sitting between my legs and my arms around her shoulders, just sitting there. Ha! Who would have ever thought I would be caught dead doing anything that reeked of sweet or sentimental. I used to be just straight down to business, fuck 'um and be done, repeatedly mind you, but still . . . no lovey dovey shit. Oh well, it no longer mattered what the young and stupid Edward Cullen had wanted. I wanted anything that my wife had to offer me, and it sure as shit seemed that she felt just the same way.

She stood up and faced me, her hand resting on my hardening length as she walked me backwards toward the bed, continuing to push me till she felt my calves meet the mattress, and then pausing only to lower my board shorts to the floor before causing me to fall backwards onto the bed. She crawled on all fours up my body like she was stalking her prey . . . and I guess she was. I don't know what the hell I did to deserve this woman, but I sure as shit hoped I continued to do it.

"Mr. Cullen. You do realize that you disturbed my train of thought, don't you? You and your naughty naughty hands, roaming all over places that would distract me so from working," she teased me as she slowly moved her mouth closer to mine. She kissed the very edge of my lips and down the line of my jaw to my neck as I held her shoulders with my hands, her torso still supported by her elbows and knees.

"No, Mrs. Cullen, it was you that fucked up my ability to concentrate on my book when the wind in your hair brought the sweet smell of you to me. It's not my fault that I was immediately forced to sek out the source of that delicious smell," I said as I buried my face into her hair that hung all around my head like a curtain, keeping our eyes locked on each other and the rest of the world out. My hands drifted from her shoulders down to once again cup her breasts and gently rub over her nipples, this time squeezing and caressing the nipples themselves. I felt a shudder run through her body at the sensations I was causing. She placed one of her knees between my legs, pushing them apart and started grinding her hips against my upper thigh, not touching my now straining erection nor giving it any of the friction it craved.

"I see the game, wife. Let's see how you like some of your own medicine," I told her as I rolled us over and pressed my erection to her thigh, but not anywhere close to her core where she wanted it, all the time driving her fucking nuts by sucking her nipples and caressing her.

"Edward!" she screamed, her muscles tense, "I need you."

It was all she needed to say. I was completely sheathed inside my wife in one thrust and continued to drive into her with such force that she was moving inch by inch closer to the other side of the bed, her head slightly off the edge of the other side as I felt her muscles start to tense, her climax approaching.

I circled my hips as I entered her a couple more times and she came, taking me with her as her muscles clamped down on me and tried to fucking drag me further inside her than was humanly possible. She reached between us and drug her nails up the inside and front of my thighs at the same time and a lesser man would have passed out from the pleasure she was giving me. Holy fuck how did she know just what to do to me to fucking slay me.

Since we had gone to all the touristy things and luau's and beaches full of people and hiked all the volcanoes we wanted, we pretty much stayed wrapped up in each other for the last week of our honeymoon. I had taken her on the boat tour around all the islands and the forest tour as well as the tour of the sugar cane fields and factory. I offered anything and everything we came in contact with or found about including the helicopter tour and she only wanted us to stay alone together that last week. Fuck if I was complaining. I had trouble parting from her long enough to go to the bathroom and in truth, sometimes we were both in the bathroom at the same time. Privacy be damned. If she could suck my dick, she could damn well not be embarrassed to see me pee with it.

I had no idea how I was going to peel myself away from her long enough to do my shift at the hospital, and honestly . . . I didn't know if it was worth it to me. Well, that idea was squashed when she heard me talking to my investment guy in New York and discussing what my yearly income would be if I used interest only at this point. It was more than enough to keep us comfortable with me not working, and she could do the same. Something about me being a bum and how she didn't care if we had money or not as long as we were happy. Problem was, she thought I would be happier and more fulfilled if I was helping children and working with them at the hospital. Well, shit. She was right, though. She knew me as well or better than I knew myself it seemed and she promised that she could occupy herself by writing while I was working and that the moment she became bored or not content with our lives that she would surely tell me. I believed that she would.

The last three days we never got dressed and our hands never left each other. Ever. It was like we were trying to crawl into each others skin - to forge a bond that was so complete that there would never be any room for doubt or problems. She had demonstrated that quite clearly by the faith she had shown in me when she walked in and saw me hugging another woman and I had stepped up to protect her even when it was her father that was the one upsetting her. We would always be there for each other, it was the one fucking truth in my life now and it mattered more than any other single thing on the planet.

There would be questions when we got back home, problems to solve. Not the least of which would surround Jessica and the fact that I had been such a fucked up wimp I had let her have people think that our relationship was something that it sure as hell never was. I knew Bella believed me, I had told her that I kissed Jessica when she initiated it, but never more than a chaste kiss and I never ever felt anything of hers. Not a damned thing. Bella knew that Jessica had brushed up against me and that she had managed to put her hand on me a time or two before I moved it, but that was the extent of it and my wife knew that I would tell her the truth, no matter what.

We were looking forward to spending some time with Jake, Leah and their kids. I had been close friends with Jake since I had moved to Forks, way before Jame's death had occurred. It was his house we always went to when he lived with his Dad, before Leah, when we drank too damned much and needed to sleep it off. Bella had been friends with him mostly through James and then after she moved back from New York, he was the only one that knew the complete story of what she had been through and that she had married me. She had been spending time with Leah and the kids since she first got back and settled into her cabin, way the fuck before I returned to Forks and rekindled my friendship with Jake.

Jasper and Alice were now a couple and we enjoyed their company as well . . . or we thought we would. i knew I liked hanging out with Jasper, and he and Slice were now a couple. Alice fucking drove me nuts, being my twin and all, but Bella seemed to really hit it off with her, so I was willing to see what it would be like to hang out with those two.

Rose and Emmett, well they were Rose and Emmett. You never really fucking knew if Roses panties would be in a wad that day or not, so it would be hit or miss spending time with them. We would probably just run into them when we went to visit with my Mom and Dad, who Bella enjoyed seeing immensely. I knew we would be at the Cullen house quite often, especially when our little ones were born as I wasn't sure Esme would be willing to let them out of her sight. Bonus for me. Once Bella recovered from giving birth, that just meant my Mom could watch her grandchildren and my wife and I could do what we liked best . . .


	16. Chapter 16 Back to Work

**Disclaimer:** All the Twilight stuff belongs to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. I'm just playing in her sandbox.

**Chapter 16 Back to Work**

**BPOV**

I just could not stop looking at him . . . my husband. Mine. He had made that perfectly clear.

We had just spent three incredible weeks in Hawaii, playing on the beaches, tasting the restaurants and nightlife and enjoying the seclusion of our own private get-a-way home there. It was amazing. If the truth be known, it would have been amazing if we had been in an igloo in Antarctica and we would have been just as naked.

My husband naked. Dear God, he was so gorgeous . . . and sex with Edward . . . there were no words. The word sex didn't even seem to apply.

We made love. Often.

Edward had been with lots of women. _Lots of women. _I shutter to think of just how many and I doubted that he even had a number. He had always thought that he was _all that _and in realit_y . . . he was. _All he had to do was give the girl that one hundred watt mega _Edward Cullen_ smile and with minimal effort from him, they were done for. It was the challenge, the hunt that he enjoyed, almost never going back for seconds after he had made a conquest. Actually, I guess that made him a real asshole.

Somehow all that had changed after James death . . . after our marriage. He was attentive, considerate, loving and surprisingly . . . faithful. Though I knew he had been with dozens of women, it hadn't really bothered me. He had proved quite clearly that he wanted me, and me alone. We had spent almost five years apart. Five years. And during that time, neither of us had been with anyone else.

I had almost no experience with sex, I had been with James that one night and then Edward on Christmas morning. Other than that, than those two men, I had never even been kissed. I had no idea what to expect or how a relationship involving intimacy would work, of course I had never had a role model either. My parents spent most of their time apart, my flighty mother coming up with some new scheme or undertaking and my Dad steadfastly staying home and keeping the house and job going. When she was at home, affectionate was the last thing they were with each other. I had no idea what to expect in my own relationship.

I had no idea how to be with a man, how to please him. It was never an issue though, or even a momentary problem. I just did what felt natural and took note of the things that made him moan a certain way, or react a certain way and especially things that caused him to come almost immediately. We loved each other so much and were so grateful to be together that we tended to each other's needs almost above our own. It didn't matter that I knew nothing, somehow I knew him.

I looked over at the sleeping face of my husband, the light from the sun coming in the aircraft window highlighted the coppery colors in his hair that seemed to sparkle in the light. I suppose he was tired, we hadn't really slept at all last night, wanting to savor as much of the _island atmosphere_ as possible. That was code from Edward for see how many times we could _climax together_ in one evening/night/day. The interesting part was that I had become as insatiable as he had supposedly always been. I simply could not get enough of him.

Carlisle and Esme were there to meet us when we landed at Seatac airport in Seattle. They had been wonderful about everything. Esme had seemingly not allowed the fact that she had walked in on us in bed together make her the least bit uncomfortable around us. She was so excited about the babies and I suspect the smile on Edward's face didn't hurt. Edward being happy made her happy. She had waited a long time to see him mature and happily married.

Carlisle . . . well it seemed that not only had Carlisle arranged for a month's leave for Edward once he found out that we were together again, but he had secretly tried to locate me. He had checked all the hospital medical records and had even asked Charlie about me, getting no information there, that's for sure. None the less, the point is that he was willing to help Edward, no matter what. He saw the difference in his son over the years and once Edward had broken down and told him our story, he was determined to help him fine me.

They seemed slightly ill at ease, there was a tension in the air there in the airport and I wondered if they were going to share the reason for it with us on the ride home. Nothing was said, well, other than us trying to fight sleep and manage to excitedly tell them about our trip. Edward's Dad asked him to stop in his office on Monday when he first arrived and we thanked them for picking us up at the airport and for giving Edward the time off for us to be together. We were really looking forward to tomorrow to rest and recover from the honeymoon and get used to being home before Edward had to be at the hospital Monday morning.

"Edward!" I gasped as he reached down and swept me into his arms outside our door.

"This is part of the job description, I carry the bride over the threshold . . . did you forget?" he laughed as he walked us into the house, kissing me the entire time.

"I remember that you were silly like this sometimes even in New York. I love you, Mr. Cullen," I told him as he put me on my feet and I kissed his soft lips again.

He had the biggest smile on his face as he answered, "I love you, Mrs. Cullen." He never seemed to tire of anything that reminded him that he had a wife. Edward carried all the bags to the bedroom and opened them on our bed. I noticed that he was separating everything into piles, apparently willing to put all of our things away himself.

"Can we go get Kismet before we unpack, husband? I really miss her and she's going to need a little while to settle down before there is any way she'll let us sleep," I laughed, grasping him around the waist as he tried to unpack.

"Let's go then . . . God forbid she try and keep us up tonight, that is . . . after all . . . my job," he said with a wink as he tossed me onto the bed and crawled over me, grinding his erection into me to illustrate his point before he started tickling me.

We were lying among suitcases and destroying the piles of neatly folded clothes that he had been sorting and he seemed not to care in the least, continuing to make me roll and squeal from his efforts.

"Okay, okay . . . I give . . . you win!" I said, unable to hardly breath from laughing so hard.

"I win? What do I win?" he asked as he attacked my stomach with his lips as well, sitting on my thighs to hold me in place while he continued to torture me.

"Edward! Stop! Stop it!" I was laughing so hard I still couldn't breath well.

"Whatever you want, you win whatever you want! Ahhhh! Stop!" I squealed, about to pee my pants if I didn't get him to quit.

He laid down on top of me, pinning my hands on either side of my head, "You get to cook me dinner . . . naked. That's what I win." The excited sparkle in his eye was adorable.

"I would love to cook you dinner, or anything else naked, husband . . . but there is no food in the house, remember? We haven't been here in weeks," I reminded him as I tried to catch my breath.

"I didn't mean tonight, wife! Tonight let's go grab take out and go to the grocery store so that we can stay home all day tomorrow," he suggested.

"Edward, do you know what time it is?" I asked. He nodded, still not releasing me and I was becoming quite comfortable lying under him.

"It's several hours later than I feel like it is, I'm sure. I'm still on Hawaii time and the food on the plane did nothing for me," he said, helping me up and giving me a hug.

I headed to the kitchen to give Kismet her food and water before we left and found a note from Esme . . . and our dinner in the fridge. She had outdone herself, complete with a welcome home cake for dessert.

"Edward . . . we're staying in!" I yelled as I started heating the dishes. I knew I liked Edward's parents!

The clothing disappeared in laundry hampers, drawers and closets while dinner warmed and Kismet ate her dinner. I loved being home . . . our home. Finally.

We were still on Hawaii time when morning came and it was only the incessant whining coming from Kismet that finally woke us . . . at nearly noon.

"I'm sorry girl," I told her as I grabbed some sweats and a t shirt from the drawer by the bed, laughing to myself that Edward had left them there all this time. I headed for the door to let her go out by herself. She would only be out a moment, long enough for me to start some coffee before I came back to let her in.

I heard the door open a few minutes later, at the same time Alice called,"Hope you guys are descent this time, we brought breakfast!"

"Alice," I hugged her. "I don't know how descent we are, but I at least am dressed and not horizontal this time, though I can't say the same for your brother!" I said as I laughed and gave Jasper a hug as well, taking care not to make him drop the box of goodies he was carrying.

"We went and got bagels and quiche and some fruit for breakfast. Mom said she left dinner last night and we didn't think you would have drug yourselves out to the store last night," Alice said with a knowing smirk.

"Nope," I grinned right back at her, "The only place we drug ourselves was to bed, Alice!" They were both laughing with me now.

"Hey, what's so funny in here? Can't a guy get a little sleep in his own house?" Edward asked as he walked into the kitchen bare chested in just a pair of low slung sleep pants. Edward's hair was never what you would call _tamable,_ but today he could have been the poster boy for sex hair . . . and sex. he looked good enough to eat for breakfast all by himself . . . damn the food.

"Well, brother, I have never seen you look more relaxed . . . or happier," Alice said to him as he hugged her.

"I am happy, sis. Even annoying little pixies can't fuck up my mood these days," he told her as he nodded a greeting to Jasper.

"Jasper, how is it that you're putting up with this," he gestured toward Alice.

"It's kind of hard not to, Edward. She moved in," Jasper announced.

"Ahhh! Congratulations," I sort of squealed as I hugged her in front of them.

"Don't let him fool you. He begged me, I didn't just force myself on him, " Alice said playfully, elbowing Jasper as she said it.

"I did indeed darlin', and I'd do it again in a heartbeat," he told us as he smiled and kissed her cheek.

"Well, lots of changes for Mom to settle into. Good thing Emmett and Rose are living with them. She would hate to be there with none of her kids at home," Edward said, opening a bag and sniffing to see what was in it.

"We brought breakfast, brother dear," Alice told him as she took the bag from under his nose and started placing things on the table. I got the coffee mugs and coffee and breakfast turned out to be a really nice event. I loved that Edward was getting along with Alice, they had not gotten along at all back when I had known them last and it was nice to see that it had changed. Edward had changed.

"So, have you decided what you're going to do about Jessica, dear brother," Alice chirped as we were finishing.

"I'm not going to do anything about her, Alice. Bella and I spoke with her at the hospital before we left for Hawaii. I said all I had to say back then. Why do you ask?" Edward inquired, puzzled at why Alice would even bring up what was to him, such a non issue.

"She's just not going to let this drop, Edward. Honestly, I don't know how you ever let someone like that close to you at all!" Alice shook her head, disgusted.

"Why did none of you say anything to me when I brought her around, if you knew she was so horrible, Alice?" Edward asked, starting to become annoyed with the whole thing. He looked to me and I squeezed his hand and tightened my grip on his thigh. I wanted him to know that none of this mattered to me and I had told him many times before we left.

"Brother dear, we were so worried about you and you were in such a state that you could have brought Attila the Hun home and we would have been thankful that at least you left your house!" Alice stated bluntly.

"It's true, Bella, he had us all worried. It was like he had no emotions at all, nothing. Just a shell walking around and working at the hospital. That's all that was there. Any tiny shred of him being social was a lifeline that his family clung to, they were all so worried about him," Jasper told me. "By the way, Bella. I owe you an apology," he said as he dipped his head, momentarily looking t the table as if gathering his thoughts, "I was kind of hard on you on the phone when you called from Chicago and especially when you came to get Kismet. I apologise. I had no idea it was a misunderstanding and everyone was so riled up and worried about Edward, I guess I took it out on you. I just want you to know I'm sorry."

"Jasper," I said and waited till his eyes met mine, "You are forgiven, but there is really nothing to forgive you for. You were being a friend to Edward and I love you for that. You made me realize just how far out of hand everything had gotten. Honestly, it pushed me to go and talk to Edward face to face."

"Thank God she did. I own you, in fact," Edward said slapping Jasper on the shoulder.

"Well, we're heading into town to the grocers, need anything?" I asked Alice.

"No, no. We were just there. Glad you guys are back," she called out over her shoulder as she and Jasper headed down the beach towards their cottage.

~oooOooo~

**EPOV**

Getting up and dressed to go to work was damned near one of the hardest things I had ever done. We had spent last evening putting away laundry and groceries and cooking dinner together. I absolutely loved doing mundane household things with my wife. We sat on the sofa and watched a movie, snuggling and making out like teenagers and went to bed kind of early. I loved going to bed . . . not to sleep. It was fucking awesome and I absolutely adored my wife.

My wife. Just the word . . . just the sound of the word made me happy.

We had discussed this morning at length . . . hell we had talked it to death. She wanted to get up with me and make me breakfast and kiss me good bye. I told her that I needed to get up way before she did and sneak out the door or I would never be able to leave. I was serious and already on the edge of quitting everything that took me away from her for any length of time at all.

Bella and I had reached a compromise. I would leave before she got up this week, well four days. I had only agreed to work four days a week from now on, 7a to 3p, but we both knew I would get called in occasionally and stay if a case demanded it. It was a small hospital and Carlisle's position allowed him to give me that leniency. Anyway, she would sleep this week provided that I kissed her goodbye before I left and she would come in and have lunch with me. Next week, when I had become accustomed to working again she would get up and we would have breakfast together and she would also come in and have lunch with me. No way in hell I was giving up lunch with her and I knew she felt the same way.

I came out of the bathroom dressed and went over to her side of the bed to kiss her goodbye as promised. I knew she wasn't asleep. This was every bit as hard on her as it was on me and she was pretending so that It would make it easier on me. It would be easier to leave her if I knew she was getting extra rest that she and my babies needed . . . cause I sure as hell kept her up at night . . .

I knew my father wanted to see me before I started back today, but he never arrived before 6:00 or 6:30 and I had gotten in exceptionally early. I went up to the nicu to see what we had there, how many babies and what conditions they were in, to see if there would be any patients there for me to tend.

"Angela Hi! What are you doing on so early?" I asked as I entered the unit. She was tending to an exceptionally small little boy in an incubator and looking worried.

"I pulled a double. They were short staffed last night and offered time and a half plus twenty, you know I couldn't turn that down," she exclaimed.

"No, I suppose not," I chuckled at her excitement over the extra pay knowing she only worked because she truly loved tending to the babies, "So you're here till three then?"

"Yep. Here till three, then back in the morning at seven for the rest of the week. This little one has been here all week and we just can't seem to get him to stabilize. I kind of wanted to be here to watch him anyway," she said with a worried look.

"Let me have a look at him," I offered, taking the chart from her hand to see where we were at with the little guy. I spent the next half hour examining the boy and going over his treatments. I wasn't technically assigned to the case, but I had authority over the nicu to some extent, so I felt comfortable checking on little Mr. Morgan.

Angela seemed a little distant, but perhaps she was just distracted in her need to make sure the little boy had everything done for him. As I was about to leave, she came to the desk. "Dr. Cullen," she said kind of awkwardly, "Thank you for checking on the baby even before you're technically back on duty."

"Of course, Angela. I love babies just like you do and we're alone, it's Edward. Dr. Cullen is my father", I nodded to her. She seemed to be uncomfortable with me and I tried to ease whatever her concern was. Maybe she thought there was still some problem from when my wife had walked into the lounge and found me hugging her. "Bella is having lunch with me, Angela, would you like to join us? You can grill her about Hawaii, I'm sure she would love to talk about it," I offered with a laugh. She looked at me like I had grown a third head. "Angela, you are one of the only friends I have here, certainly one of the few I care about . . . ," we were cut short by the alarm going off for the Morgan baby.

An hour later and a tremendous team effort and the baby was almost stable . . . again. There had to be more we could do and I left to speak to Carlisle about the infant while Angela finished the paperwork involved with noting what had happened and what we had done, I had dictated it already.

"Good morning, Dr. Cullen," Dad's secretary greeted me stiffly. What the hell was wrong with these people. Had my leaving for a month caused all of them to hate me? "Your father was expecting you before seven. It's almost nine, doctor," she spat at me. I was taken back by her behavior.

"Jane, is there some reason you seem to have an issue with me this morning? I'm sorry I'm late, but I came in extra early this morning to get back in touch with the patients and there was an emergency in the Nicu while I was there. I couldn't call, much less leave," I said in my best apologetic voice. I had known Jane to be my Dad's secretary since we had first moved here when I was still in high school.

"Edward," she whispered, "It's just that he wanted to talk to you before the lawyers arrived." I cocked my head, wondering why she was whispering and why the hell there were lawyers here.

"Well, I'm going to labor and delivery and see what's going on. I need to check in with Mrs. Cope and see who is scheduled in this week to be delivered and who is on watch. After that, I'll be having lunch with my wife in the cafeteria, if he needs me", I told her.

"Wife?" she questioned, cocking her head to one side and giving me her undivided attention.

"I'm sorry, Jane. She was here with me three weeks ago and I introduced her to Angela and Mrs. Cope down in delivery. I guess I thought that between Angela, Mrs. Cope and my Dad that everyone in the hospital would know. My wife came back to me about a month ago after being away for a few years. I just assumed you knew," I told her, "You'll met her. She is having lunch with me every day. She had to promise to come and meet me or I wouldn't agree to leave in the mornings to come to work," I laughed, "I can't stand being away from her."

"Oh my. Edward," she exclaimed with her jaw hanging open and a look of shock on her face.

"Anyway, I'll be downstairs if you need me," I said and hurried out the door.

Angela now Jane . . . I wondered why they were acting so differently around me. It seemed very odd. I was getting stares in the hallway as well and not just from the women. I was used to being ogled by the women almost wherever I go _that_ happens. Most of the faces looked familiar, too.

"Mrs. Cope . . . Grace. How are you?" I said as I rounded the counter and saw her in back at the nurses station.

"Dr. Cullen," she exclaimed as she came over to give me a hug, "It's so good to have you back." She stopped and backed up a step to look at me, "You are back aren't you? You're in your scrubs and lab coat and you look back, although the tan you're sportin' tells me you've been somewhere fun . . . as does the smile in your eyes."

"I have indeed been somewhere fun," I said as I leaned towards her ear, "Can you keep a secret?" She looked somewhat taken back by my request, like I made her nervous. How odd.

"I can, you can be sure", she answered, her Irish accent coming through thickly. I looked around to make sure that thee was no one else within earshot before I continued.

"I don't know what excuse my father gave, but Bella and I just spent three weeks in Hawaii. We never got to have a honeymoon and I thought it was about time," I said with a smile deciding to let her in on our surprise, "I wanted to take her while it was just us . . . before the babies came."

"Yes," she said hesitantly, "That would be wise."

Well _that _wasn't the response I expected. I looked at her and realized that she was frowning. Shit. Enough was enough. I had no idea what the hell was going on around here but I was damned sure I was going to find out. It was either that or give in to the fact that I had become paranoid if not crazy and I didn't think that had happened yet. I took a step forward, waiting for her eyes to leave the counter and meet mine as I put a hand on her shoulder.

"Grace, everyone I have talked to today has been acting strangely. I saw Angela in the Nicu and she behaved oddly and then Jane at Dad's office was almost rude and glaring at me . . . now you. What the hell is going on?" I asked her.

"You really have absolutely no idea, do you? Have you not spoken to your father since your return?" she asked.

"I have. He and my mother picked us up from the airport in Settle on Saturday. He said he wanted to talk to me before I started my shift today, but I got here very early. He wasn't in yet so I went down to the Nicu and there was an emergency with the Morgan boy . . ."

She stopped me mid sentence with a question on her face and I knew what she wanted.

"Yes, I got him stabilized. Not to worry, though it's touch and go with him," I told her. She was noticeable relieved. This was a small hospital and she kept up with the babies born here. Her relief in knowing the boy was still with us was palpable.

"Anyway, I went to check in with him after that and Jane was quite tense with me . . . and now you. I ask you again. What the hell is going on around here?"

I was becoming agitated. Mrs. Cope didn't rattle easily and given the fucking reaction I was getting from her, I had no idea what the hell was wrong but I knew it was something big . . . well, big for this hospital.

"Dr. Cullen," she said as she motioned for me to come into her office and sit down. She closed the door before coming to join me by sitting at her desk, "Edward. You told me a few weeks ago that you were married over five years ago to Bella, is that right?" She asked me as though she were a concerned Mom.

"Yes."

"And what about being engaged to Jessica?" she asked, her brow furrowing.

"Grace, last Christmas something happened between me and my wife . . . I thought had lost her. I was so broken hearted that I could barely function."

"Yes, I remember that," she agreed.

"Jessica stepped in. I guess it's my fault, I allowed it. She started calling me and asking me out for coffee. She was such a pest I just let her have her way to shut her up. I cared about nothing."

"I remember. It was like you were walking around on autopilot, the doctor was there but that was all, dear," she said, soothingly.

"Yes. That's true. Anyway, I was at my parents one afternoon, Jessica was with me and my Mom chose that opportunity to give me my grandmother's ring. Jessica admired it, put the damn thing on her finger and I never forced her to take it off. I guess the rumor that we were engaged started and I didn't fucking care enough to deny it. Nothing personal mattered to me then. I didn't give a shit if she thought there was something between us, I knew better."

"Edward! You let us all believe you were engaged to that horrid bitch!" she exclaimed. I looked at her like she was a complete stranger, I'm sure, the look of shock that must have crossed my face got a response from her immediately.

"Yes, I cuss. Don't looked so shocked Mr. Pottymouth. When it comes to _that_ girl, you need bad language. She is nothing but trouble, I'll warrant."

I couldn't help but smile at how defensive she was about using a cuss word. "Anyway, I', sorry I didn't take a stand and put an end to the ridiculous idea that I was with her. I was just so completely shattered," I told her, virtually pleading with her to understand why I was such a fucking wimp.

"So . . . you were never . . . _with_ her?" she asked me quite reservedly. I leaned forward, realizing the real question in her words.

"If you are asking me if I ever fucked her, the answer is no. Never. I never even kissed her other than chastely when she would try and kiss me. I initiated nothing. Ever. In fact, Jessica would get furious with me because I would never _really_ kiss her and I never ever tried anything. I never touched her . . . any of her. Grace, I am completely in love with my wife and I have been from the moment I said I do. Though I had a reputation for fucking most of the girls in town before I left for NYU, I have always been faithful to my wife. Always," I said fervently, willing her to believe me.

"Oh dear boy," she said, "then the pregnancy?"

So that was it! Someone fucker found out that Bella was pregnant and the whole damned hospital was acting weird about it. Bella and Dad had been right about waiting for the news of my wife coming back to settle before we announced that we were expecting. I had no idea that people would fucking give a shit, much less be this uptight about it.

"We were going to wait awhile to tell people we were expecting, Grace. She just came back and I just started introducing her to people. We though we should wait to announce the babies," I told her.

"Babies?"

I couldn't help but smile.

"Babies. Bella and I are expecting twins," I told her, unable to keep the shit eating grin off my face.

"Oh dear God, Edward. You need to fix this . . . and fast," she said with such a startled look on her face I was worried. "You were never intimate with Jessica?" she asked bluntly.

"No. Never. I just told you I never fucked that woman, Grace. What's this about?" I asked. I was getting agitated at this point and I wanted answers.

"Edward. Jessica has told everyone that would listen that you got her pregnant then, when you got what you wanted, broke the engagement with her."

I just sat there stunned. "She what?"

"She has told _everyone . . . _anyone that would listen and some of us that didn't want to hear it.''

I sat for a long moment, trying to understand exactly what was being said. "You heard the conversation we had with her three weeks ago, right? I know you weren't supposed to be listening, but I know you heard. You have to know the truth, Grace," I stared straight at her.

"I do. I heard you and your wife speaking to her and right now I can't say I'm sorry I did. I knew something wasn't true in her words, Edward, but I'm glad to have heard it from you. I'd say you have a hell of a mess here to straighten out young man."


	17. Chapter 17  Accusations

**Disclaimer: **_All the Twilight stuff belongs to Stephanie Meyer. No infringement is intended. I'm just playing in her sandbox._

**Chapter 17 Accusations**

_I'd say you have a hell of a mess here to straighten out young man._

**EPOV**

"I can't fucking believe it," I said as I sat there stunned. "I just don't understand why the hell she would say that, Grace. You're telling me that Jessica has told people in this hospital, including you, that I got her pregnant and then broke the engagement to her?" I asked.

"Yes. Yes she has. She's makin' it out to be like you used getting engaged to get her into bed, then took it back when you got what you wanted . . . then her ending up pregnant on top of it all," Grace explained.

"Well shit," I said as I tried to calm myself, pacing back and forth in her small office. Then I stopped cold. "Grace, it doesn't matter what she says. I know I've never even been with her and a paternity test will prove that any baby she is having . . ."

". . .if she is even pregnant," Mrs. Cope added, obviously willing to disbelieve anything Jessica said.

"If she is even pregnant. Fuck. She could be lying about all of it, not just the me part. Anyway, a paternity test would prove that I'm not the father of any child she might be having. The only thing I'm guilty of is being a fucking stupid, lame dumb ass and not putting a stop to her acting like there was something between us months ago," I realized.

"Edward," Grace said as she walked around her desk to put a hand on my shoulder, "It's a small town. You need to find a way to clear this up without waitin' for the results of a paternity test. It would be months. This rumor will damage your reputation and all you've worked so hard for."

I couldn't react to what she was saying, I couldn't fucking think this was just so out of left field. Grace continued, looking perhaps more concerned than ever and seeming to wait till my eyes met hers before she continued, "Edward, how will your bride handle this, will she leave you over it?"

I just stood there, fixated on her face. I couldn't even think. This whole thing was just so unfucking believable and utterly ridiculous. Why was it necessary to bring more drama into my life, had I not payed enough dues? Had I not been torn and unhappy for years? Just when I have my wife back . . . or have my wife fully for the first time and we are blissfully happy with the knowledge that we're expecting . . . now this.

"I quit. I fucking quit," I said softly.

"Sure you're talkin' crazy now," she said insistently, You're one of the best damned doctors we have had through here since I have worked here and your talent should be used. If you're worried about your wife I . . . ," Mrs. Cope stopped short. I was laughing. It started with a smile, then a bit of a chuckle, but it had grown into full fucking laughter before I could stop,

"Grace. There is one thing I do know . . . one thing I would bet my life on. Bella will believe me, without question," I told her, patting her on the shoulder this time to reassure her instead of me.

"You're so sure of that, are ya?" she asked, seemingly puzzled, "I should think your wife would be the one thing you should be worried about."

"Yes, yes I am that sure of that, Grace. That is the least of my worries. This will not affect my marriage like you're thinking. It will cause an upset, yes, but the upset will be that I have to keep Bella from hurting Jessica for lying and upsetting me, not because she believes it," I straightened up, getting a grip on myself before I tore the door off to leave. "I think I had better go and see what was so important that Carlisle wanted to talk to me this morning, Grace, as if I didn't know, now. I really do appreciate you telling me what the hell was going on. Really," I added as I opened the doorknob to leave.

As I came back out to the nurses station I noticed several familiar faces quickly turn to their tasks at hand. They had obviously been watching the conversation with Mrs. Cope through the glass of her door and I didn't know if they had overheard anything or not. It didn't matter. I called to them to get their attention. A few more nurses, orderly and techs that had been in the hall gathered around. Good, the more the merrier. Grace walked out of her office to stand behind me.

"Ladies," I announced, having gotten their attention, "There is apparently a rumor going around that Jessica is pregnant and that I broke an engagement off with her. Well, I have no idea if she is pregnant or not. Since I have never so much as put my tongue in her mouth, much less anything else in her, I do know that if she is pregnant, it can not be mine. In addition, I never broke off an engagement to her because we were never engaged. I never asked her to marry me," I said with conviction.

I let the information settle for a moment, obviously they had all heard the rumor and apparently believed it, their surprised faces told me that. I looked at each one of them, willing them to believe me. "Any questions? Anyone, seriously. It's okay," I said as I tried to elicit a response.

"Well, Dr. Cullen . . . you and Jessica were both gone for a week, then you were gone for the rest of the month and she has been back . . . talking," one of the techs told me.

"Yes. I was gone for a week. My wife of over five years came home and we were spending some time together before the birth of our children. Jessica was well aware that I was married and I discussed this again with Jessica three weeks ago, with my wife. I'm sorry I didn't embarrass her publicly when she inferred that there was something between us. We were never more than friends and now I am questioning whether she was ever even a friend. If you have any concerns or questions, please ask them now or in private later. I want this ridiculous rumor gone," I told them as sincerely and calmly as I was able.

"Dr. Cullen. Jessica is my friend. She says she is pregnant and you're the father. She says you led her to believe you were engaged to get her in to bed. Are you saying that isn't true?" she asked defensively.

"That's correct. It isn't true. I have never ever been to bed with Jessica. Ever. I never, ever asked her to marry me. I have asked one woman to marry me and she is still my wife, with whom I am expecting twins. If you're Jessica's friend, I suggest you advise her to get help, she is obviously delusional," I added.

"All right, all right. Back to work, there are patients to care for," I heard the calm, rational voice of my father telling them as he shooed everyone to go and do their jobs.

"Well, I see that you've heard the latest rumor, son," he said sternly, "I expected to see you before you started working today . . . I had hoped to avoid just such a scene as I witnessed," he told me as he approached with Bella following him.

"Bella. You heard?" I asked her as I stood unable to move.

"Yes," she answered, starring at me but not moving.

Oh God.

Oh God.

Oh God.

She was just standing there. No expression on her face. Staring at me. Everyone turned to look at her. I don't know what they expected to see . . . her slap me and walk away . . . scream at me . . . I wasn't sure. What I clung to was the fact that I was sure of my wife. We had promised each other.

_When we leave this bed this morning, we never doubt each other again. No matter what. No matter how bad the situation seems, we always give each other the benefit of the doubt. And we will not be parted . . . . . . If I find you standing in the middle of a room, your clothes covered in orange paint and paint all over the walls and floor with a brush in your hand and you say you didn't do it. You didn't do it. Agreed. Forever._

I ran over the words in my mind, as my wife walked towards me. She leaned forward, in front of everyone and kissed me softly on the cheek. "You have to be more understanding, Edward. I took you off the market years ago, but it's inevitable that women will still be trying. Are you ready to go to lunch with me?" she asked sweetly, taking my hand for us to leave together. She had in two sentences dismissed the entire situation as though it were nothing . . . and she had done it in front of a crowd.

"Carlisle, we'll see you after lunch then," She said as we headed down the hall together.

"Bella I . . ."

"Husband. We can talk about this later. I hate when you're upset and I want us to have lunch. I missed you all morning and you had better hope all the linen closets are locked or the hospital will have something really x rated to discuss," she teased as she reached up and kissed my jaw while we waited for the elevator.

"Where would you like to have lunch then, wife?" I said as I hugged her to me, grateful that I had been blessed with this amazing woman. I thanked God and James everyday for bringing her to me and forcing me to see who she really was, but I was rarely as thankful as I was this very minute.

"Cafeteria?" she said as she hit the button for the ground floor.

"Bella, apparently Jessica spoke to everyone in this hospital personally, it seems. If we go to the cafeteria everyone will be fucking starring, I'm sure," I told her as I grimaced, "Let's go out somewhere."

"No. You have not done what you are accused of and I refuse to hide. We are not taking the easy way out and running again, husband. Everything together," she said as we stepped off the elevator at the cafeteria entrance, "remember?"

"I remember, wife," I said as I held her to me and kissed her passionately as though no one else was anywhere near. After a few more soft kisses to her cheek and nose I rested my forehead on hers, running my hands up and down from her shoulders to elbow and back again as she held my waist and I continued to look into her chocolate brown eyes. "I love you, Mrs. Cullen," I told her as I hugged her again and we headed to get some food.

Carlisle's office was our next stop. Bella and I walked into the reception area and Jane looked up from her desk.

"Jane, this is my wife, Bella. Bella, this is Jane Volturi, she has worked here since we first moved to Forks when I was in high school," I told them both as I introduced them. Bella immediately put her hand out towards Jane, who stood and took it.

"It's so nice to meet you, Bella. Your Edward has only just told me about you this morning!" Jane told her as she gave me a sideways glance, hoping to get me in trouble with my wife. Ha! She didn't know my wife!

"That makes sense, Jane. Edward is a very private man. You and I met years ago before Edward and I moved to New York, though I'm sure you don't remember. I'll be in every month now, of course, with the babies on the way and I'm sure we'll get to know each other.

"Babies? You and Edward are expecting?" Jane asked. She almost had to sit down as she said it.

"Yes, Jane," I said as I hugged Bella to me and kissed her softly, almost getting lost in the moment and in her deep chocolate eyes. I shook my head slightly to bring myself back to the conversation, "The twins are due in August or September."

"Well, congratulations to both of you!" she said smiling. Carlisle opened the door to his office, moving to place a file on Jane's desk.

"I thought I heard you out here. Shall we?" Carlisle said, gesturing towards his office. He closed the door and we all sat down, Dad behind his desk.

"You wanted to see me this morning, Dad. I arrived before you did and went to check on the Nicu The Morgan boy had a crisis and I spent a couple of hours with him. By the time I got here to your office, Jane told me that you were with some lawyers, so I went to check in L&D to see who was there and who was scheduled and that's where you and Bella found me. I'm sorry I missed you this morning, but Grace Cope filled me in on the latest hospital rumor," I said, updating Carlisle on my morning.

"Yes, well, rumors like this can be quite serious," Carlisle said, squirming somewhat and looking quite uncomfortable. It was unusual behavior for him and the only reason I cold think of for it was that there was something he needed to say and he wasn't sure I wanted Bella to hear it.

"Dad, I know I . . . ," I looked at Bella for encouragement in what I was about to say, "I know that _we _have been secretive in the past and for a number of years, but that stops now." I was holding Bella's hand in mine like a life line. "Anything that happens, anything that needs to be said to me I want her to hear as well. We have no secrets between us, and we would like to have no secrets from the rest of our family as well," I said with conviction.

Carlisle just stared into first my eyes, then Bella's as he apparently decided to continue.

"The lawyers that were here earlier were here to discuss how to handle Jessica's accusations against you. There have been no formal complains filed, or law suits . . . yet," Carlisle said as he folded both his hands together in his lap.

"I called Jessica into my office last week to address a rumor that I had heard, perhaps the same one that Mrs. Cope appraised you of. She contends that you used your engagement to get her into bed, then broke it as soon as she complied, leaving her pregnant with your child," Carlisle motioned for me to wait, as I was about to blow up sitting there in my chair. He motioned to the tape recorder on his desk, turning it on deliberately in front of us. "The hospital would not normally concern itself with the personal lives of its staff, even if she chose to sue you for breach of engagement, but she contends that you used your position as a doctor here to pressure her to comply with your . . . wishes," he said with a frown.

I tried to be calm, really I did. Bella stood and moved to stand behind me, putting her hands on my shoulders and squeezing them to try and calm me.

"Carlisle, there is no point in beating around the bush. I never had sex with Jessica, ever. I never even kissed her other than in a way that I would kiss my Mom, and I never, ever asked her to marry me. The only pressure between she and I was the relentless phone calls and conversations from her to me asking me out to coffee or dinner or a movie. She came to your house with me a couple of times. You saw me with her, there was never anything there. She was trying to get some life back into me, I assumed she was being my friend, but it wasn't happening - you saw that for yourself," I calmly told him.

"Yes, yes I did, Edward. I just had to have your statement and your word . . . officially, he said as he tapped the recorder on his desk, turning it off. As I said, nothing has been filed at this point, not even a formal complaint. I just wanted to be ready and address it with you upfront, and . . . ," he took a moment and smiled. "Off the record," he sat forward and put his folded hands on his desk, leaning towards us, "I'm very proud of you for what I saw of the way you handled this news at the nurses station, and with you, Bella. The two of you got blindsided by this and yet your wife backed you up, no questions asked. I'm impressed."

"We had a talk, Edward and I, the night I went to his cottage. He told me he hadn't been with anyone since we were married. If I accepted his words then, why wouldn't I trust them now?" Bella clearly told us both. God I loved this woman. The look on Carlisle's face was one of amazement and I beamed at him as if to accentuate just how wonderful she really was.

"A paternity test, if she's even pregnant, will clearly show that any child she is having is not mine. Wouldn't that be enough? " I asked. "She can't have any witnesses to our being over friendly with each other let alone intimate because it never happened. I have never, ever been to her apartment, or wherever it is that she lives. She has come to mine several times to pick me up, but she was only ever allowed inside once, and that's only because she insisted she needed the rest room right then. Walking in to make me breakfast after she invited Mom and Alice was the only other time she came in, and Bella was there then." I explained, more apologising to Bella for her being in our home than anything else.

"Jessica is behaving like a _woman scorned_, Edward. Apparently she had her sights set on you and you and it seemed to be working, till Bella stepped back into the picture . . . and thank God for that," Carlisle said smiling at Bella.

'If the way you handled yourself this morning was any indication, I have no advise for you except to make damn sure you are never alone with Jessica . . . not in a patients room, the nurses station or your office. Ever. If you can not find anyone else and you are having a crisis with a patient, call me and I'll attend as well. Now," he said putting both hands flat on his desk and rising to stand, "Why don't we take advantage of the fact that you are both here and do a monthly checkup? Let's see if my grand babies are doing well after a few weeks on a tropical island, shall we?" He stood and gestured towards the exam room.

Bella was agreeable and all was well with Bella as well as the twins. She had actually not lost any more weight in the last month, and that was a good sign. My Dad surprised us by reentering the exam room somewhat quietly . . . or perhaps we were just unobservant when we were otherwise engaged . . . but it was somewhat embarrassing as I hadn't been caught making out in many many years.

My Dad just laughed as we hurried to straighten clothing and hide body parts. The flush on Bella's face, however, could not be hidden.

"You know, if you're lucky . . . like your Mom and I have been . . . those feelings don't go away in ten or twenty or even thirty years. Don't ever be embarrassed for showing each other that they're wanted," Carlisle lectured. It was a fatherly thing and I damned sure wasn't going to say shit to him about it. We were in his office making out on his table, he could say what he wanted and I would damn well listen. As it happens, I agreed with him . . . I just didn't ever want to picture him and Mom . . .

"Thank you, Carlisle," Bella said as we stood to leave, "And thank you for being willing to help Edward find me, Carlisle. I know there are patient/doctor confidentiality issues that you would have had to skirt. In any case, from now on, please feel free to discuss anything to do with my medical history with my husband. He will probably want to know what happened when I returned from New York, the procedure you did and anything else in my file. Consider this my permission permanently, and thank you for always being there for us."

"Carlisle did the . . . delivery?" I asked her, my eyes wide at the realization that I hadn't ever known that. It made sense, he was always her doctor here before we left . . . I just had never thought about it.

"Yes, son. That's one of the reason's I suspected that I could locate her for you, once I knew you were looking for her. She had everything sent to a PO Box using Charlie's address as her home, so there was no way to track her using medical records . . . I tried," he told me.

Well, I suppose Bella and I had both had unwanted surprises today, but we both handled them and we would continue to handle anything that came or way. I was not going to be parted from my wife again . . . for any reason and luckily, she felt the exact same way.

I walked her to her car and kissed her long and hard, virtually making a spectacle of ourselves in the parking lot. I could give a damn.

"I'll be home in a couple of hours, wife. Can I bring anything when I come?" I asked her as she slipped into her car and started to close the door.

"Just you, husband. I have dinner planned and nothing to do but spend time with you."

I went back inside to check on the Morgan boy and found Angela wrapping up her shift. News of my little display in L & D had spread like wildfire throughout the hospital, according to her, as had the news of my wife being there and backing me up. She had even heard rumor about our having lunched together in the hospital cafeteria and my having kissed her outside the elevator before hand. Damn. Nothing got past anyone at this place! I was going to have to remember that.

I finished my rounds and paperwork amid stares and whisperings Some were brave enough to address their concerns with me and some simply made comments like "I heard your wife was here today . . . can't wait to meet her " or "I hear you're expecting". The expecting one was tough because I had to then clarify whether they were referring to my wife and the good news about our twins, or the rumor that I was having a child with Jessica.

I was mentally sick of the entire thing by the end of the day and never so happy to be walking out of those doors. With much effort, I had managed to avoid Jessica since I had been made aware of the lie she was spreading, catching only a scowl from her at a distance as she got in her car in the parking lot to leave for the day. I was sure I would have to speak with her sooner or later and I knew that it should probably be sooner. It just had to wait till I calmed down and could control my anger.

I knew then that the next few days at work were going to be some of the longest I had ever endured. Right now, none of that mattered. Bella was waiting for me at home . . . our home.


	18. Chapter 18  Life

**Disclaimer:** All the Twilight stuff belongs to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. I'm just playing in her sandbox.

**Author's Note:** There is no substitute for the value of reviews. Fans of this story see angles that I never even thought of. It is because of one of these astute reviewers that I am able to bring in just a little more insight into Esme . . .

**Chapter 18 Life**

**EPOV**

I could not fucking wait to get home. Could not wait. I pulled up to our cottage to find my mothers car there as well as Bellas. My best guess was that my Dad had let her know what had happened at the hospital today and she had come over to check on my wife. Good. I was all for any fucking care and consideration that was afforded to Bella, she deserved the best. I had no idea how I would continue to leave her each morning to go in to the hospital. I had missed her so much for years . . . I just could not be with her enough to ever make up for our time apart. Thank God she had come to my cottage that night. Thank God. I was never more glad of anything in my life than for her wanting me back.

There was no answer when I walked inside and called to them, not even a greeting from Kismet, which told me that they were either out on the back porch or had gone for a walk on the beach. I slipped on a pair of board shorts and a sweatshirt and headed out the door. They weren't hard to find. They were walking back from the direction of Bella's family cottage, just down the beach.

I jogged to them and grabbed her, swinging my wife around as I hugged her to me.

"I am so damned glad to be back here with you, wife. Working is highly overrated," I told her as I set her on her feet. She was smiling and laughing at me as she reached up to put her hands on my cheeks and kiss me. Mom was laughing at the both of us.

"Hi, Mom," I finally got around to saying after my lips were through with the first of many kisses.

"Edward. Glad you're home, dear. Bella and I were just discussing how hard a day you had." she said soothingly.

"Totally fucked up, Mom. The day was fucked, other than my gorgeous wife coming to my defense and kissing me and having lunch with me," I said as I kissed her again. I bent to grab a stick that we were walking past and threw it for Kismet to fetch.

"I'm only going to say this once, son, but I told you so," Mom stated. I must have given her the _'what the fuck are you talking about'_ look because she immediately seemed to decide to elaborate. "I told you not to let Jessica wear that ring. In fact, I believe I objected to it on her finger each and every time I saw it there, did I not?" she asked.

"I seem to remember something about you giving me a hard time, Mom, but I didn't fucking pay attention to any damn thing that wasn't related to patient care. You know that. I know I was a complete and total shit, but I really just didn't care about anything.," I said as I squeezed my wife's hand. "Nothing mattered once I thought I had lost Bella," I said quietly, directing my voice towards the waves.

"Honestly, Edward. Your language. I'm aware that the word '_fuck_' can be used as an adjective, a verb and a noun but that doesn't mean you have to include it in your vocabulary three times as often as any other word!" Mom fussed. My head must have snapped up at hearing her use that word because Bella started laughing at me.

"Sweetheart, your face," she laughed, "If you could see the expression on your face just because your Mom said a cuss word. It's priceless!"

"Well, all that aside, my mother's ring should never have been on that woman's hand. I wish I had picked a better time to have given it to you. Honestly, I have felt guilty for months that it was partly my fault. If she hadn't been there and seen me give it to you, she would never have had it in her hand to try on. It's just that I saw you so rarely those days . . . you never left your cottage, Edward. She practically badgered you into even coming to visit us! I have to say that at that point, I was glad for anyone that could get you to do anything," Mom admitted.

"None of this is your fault, Esme, or even Edward's," Bella said flatly. "Jessica is a grown woman and should be held accountable for her own lies. She knows that Edward never asked her to marry him. Really, what woman wouldn't want him, I understand that . . . but to fantasize to the point of telling people is just delusional on her part . . . and to outright lie! The nerve of that woman telling people that she slept with my husband," Bella fumed.

Esme and I both stopped dead and stared first at each other and then at the young woman who continued uttering her tyre and walking a few steps forward down the beach. I closed the distance between us as she looked at me, baffled, and kissed her for all I was worth.

"What?" she asked as soon as she could breath and use her lips again.

"I just fucking love you so much and I am the luckiest son of a bitch on the face of the planet," I told her, my arms still around her holding her tightly to me. She pushed on my biceps with her palms to get enough space between us so that she could look me in the eye, "Edward! Language!"

I couldn't help but laugh, "Oh no! Not you too!"

"I think it was the _'son of a bitch' _part that she was objecting to, in my defense," Esme said.

"Oh! Sorry, Mom. Just a figure of speech, you know I love you," I told her, putting an arm around her.

"I do know that, son, but from now on you do need to watch exactly what comes out of that mouth of yours . . . or what doesn't," she said.

"Mom, Jessica can't possibly press this issue. I never ever had sex with her and she will never find a witness to me asking her to marry me because it never happened," I said emphatically.

"She might not have to, son. She referred to you as her fiance in front of people and you didn't deny it. You let the statement stand, thus giving it legitimacy. Unfortunately, she might be able to sue you for several things, including _'breach of promise_'," Mom explained.

"That's fucked up. Really fucked up, Mom. If you want to use that type of thinking, who is to say that she didn't break off this imaginary engagement with me instead of me breaking it off with her? No one but Bella and I were there when she took off the ring and left it. She could have broken up with me for all anyone can prove," I almost growled.

"True, and that's a good point, Edward, but then she can still have something to say about your ever asking her in the first place, since you were married at the time, dear," Mom added as we kicked the sand off our feet and walked into the house.

"Okay, enough. We have to deal with this at the hospital and probably lots of other places, but we will not deal with this idiocy in our home. Any discussion of Jessica in this cottage is strictly forbidden. Understand? Forbidden. This is our sanctuary and outside influences are not going to intrude here," my wife told us, effectively putting her foot down for the first time in our home. God, I loved that woman. Mom said her goodbye's and I thanked her for coming over to check on Bella.

"Husband, how about a hand with dinner," Bella called from the kitchen. In New York we always made dinner together and we had the most fun doing it. Sometimes it digressed into a fucking food fight with raw vegetables sacrificed all over the floor and a mess to clean up . . . but it was fun to be playful together, regardless.

"What assistance can I be, my lady. Since you have defended me so vehemently, I am forever in your debt," I told her, bowing playfully.

"Payment will come later, Sir Edward, and will involve tremendous effort and result in vast amounts of energy expended horizontally. For now, how about dicing these potatoes so that I can boil them!" Bella said as she ghosted her hand across the front of my shorts. Damn it. Why the hell did I have to wait till after we ate! I was ready and able to pay right now!

"Want more veges, baby? I'm going in to get some, can I bring you any?" I asked her, holding out my hand for her plate. I knew she would always have a second helping when we had steamed broccoli. We finished dinner and the dishes and clean up before taking Kismet for a walk on the beach before bed. This was a routine I could get used to and it seemed that my wife agreed with me.

"I love you, husband," she said as she stopped abruptly and hugged me to her.

"I love you," I told her, kissing her soft lips, "Now, about that payment I owe you . . ."

~oooOooo~

That woman was going to drive me mad. I realized that I had to continue with my duties like normal, but fuck . . . she was being a royal bitch. I placed the patient file on the counter, taking care not to slam it down as I wanted to. I had arrived early to get my rounds out of the way and had been in a wonderful mood, till I had to deal with this!

The cause of my irritation was the staff secretary whose responsibility it was to input doctors orders into the patient charts. Jessica had been almost impossible since I had asked her to leave my beach home that morning and leave my grandmothers ring that she had laid claim to. She was normally not on the pediatric floor and my interaction with her was limited, but for the last week she had been substituting here and I had about had enough. It was one thing to be curt and rude, but she routinely questioned my orders! Her job was simply to transcribe my orders to the patient chart, not interpret ANYTHING! Why the hell I had ever gone out with her, I just didn't know. I guess I was determined to get over Bella after what happened Christmas and she was the most readily available and throwing herself at me. Huh, I chuckled, as if that would even ever be possible to get over my wife.

Carlisle had called both Jessica and I into his office earlier in the week and we had both been ordered not to discuss anything personal while we were at work. At all. In fact, it was suggested that we have absolutely nothing to do with each other till after the meeting that was to be held this coming Monday, with attorneys present. Fine by me. I knew that I had never touched her and the truth would come out in the end. All these stares and smirks were just an annoyance, hopefully a temporary one.

Bella came to the meeting with me, at my insistence. Anything that involved me also involved her. We were there and seated before Jessica arrived and the attorneys. It seemed as though Jessica had not yet hired an attorney and I was hopeful that she would just drop all this insanity.

We sat and observed all the _hello and good morning_ amenities before Carlisle opened the discussion.

"Miss Stanley, I understand that you have made some accusations involving Dr. Cullen. Would you care to elaborate so that we are all clear on just what you are accusing him of?

"Well . . . Dr. Cullen here asked me to marry him and used his position here to encourage me into bed with him, resulting in a pregnancy," she said, lying through her teeth. She had looked straight at carlisle and lied to his face.

It was all I could do to keep quiet and still, my wife's hand in mine.

"Those are very serious accusations, Miss Stanley. Dr. Cullen," he said turning to me, "What do you have to say in response to the accusations?"

"I never ever asked Miss Stanley to marry me nor have I ever had sex with her. I in no way ever used my position to get her to do anything. Point of fact, I continually found myself rebuffing her advances," I said calmly. I have no idea how I remained calm, but for the gently rubbing of my wife's thumb across my knuckles.

Jessica stood up abruptly, spewing venom, "You did not reject me. No one rejects me, Edward. If it weren't for that mousy little bitch sitting there we would be happily married right now and looking forward to our baby."

"Sit down Miss Stanly!", Carlisle demanded, rising to his feet, "One more outburst like that and we will discuss this separately as I will assume that we can not act as adults and control ourselves!"

"Carlisle, if I may," I asked, "I'd like to answer that." He sat back down and nodded for me to continue.

"I have been married since for six years this coming June. I have only ever asked one woman to marry me and she is sitting beside me now. For the record, I have never even kissed another woman in a manner that I would not kiss my mother, since I have been married, and I have never ever had sex with anyone other than my wife since I have been married. Ever," I said resolutely.

"Miss Stanley," one of the attorneys addressed her, "Are you filing formal charges, based on your accusations?"

Jessica looked scared, like she was unsure of what to do. Finally she spoke, "No. Not at this time as I haven't hired an attorney yet. I would like to leave that open, however."

"In that case, we have no further business here," the attorneys said, rising to go. One of them stopped and addressed Jessica a final time before heading out the door, "Please do not spread rumors or make accusations in this hospital until or unless you are willing to file formal charges in the future. Good day."

"Well," Carlisle said after walking the attorneys out and coming back into his office, shutting the door. "There will be no more discussion of this in this hospital until such a time as Miss Stanley here decides to file a formal charge of some form. Do I make myself clear?"

Bella and I stood. I shook my father's hand, "Yes Sir. I will avoid Miss Stanley whenever possible and not mention her name at all."

Jessica looked sheepish, as though I had slapped her and some small part of me felt sorry for her. She had helped me by trying to get through to me, even if it was to benefit herself and now she was obviously hurting. "If I could make a suggestion, Doctor," I said to Carlisle.

"Please, he answered, looking expectantly at me.

"I think counseling could be helpful here. I would be willing to pay for a psychiatrist to unravel this mess," I said, looking at Bella who was nodding agreeably with me.

"Is that acceptable to you. Miss Stanley. Do you think someone to discuss this with would be helpful?" he asked her.

"It won't change the facts, but I suppose it would be good to talk to someone, if you will set it up," she replied.

"Good. Thank you all. I'll set up something with one of the staff psychiatrists for later this week. If there is nothing else, then this meeting is over," he said and Jessica left the room.

Carlisle turned off the tape recorder and closed the door to his office.

"Edward, I want you to know that I am quite proud of the way you controlled yourself and held your temper. You have grown up into an amazing man," my Dad said as he stepped forward and hugged me. He turned to my wife, "I'm quite sure you had a great deal to do with that, young lady. You are the best thing that has ever happened to my son and I want you to know that even though I have only just gotten to know you, I love you like a daughter."

There were tears in Bella's eyes as she hugged my Dad. I had no idea what would happen with Jessica, but I knew that we were leaving his office a stronger family than ever before we walked in.

~oooOooo~

**AlicePOV**

"Hello, anyone home?" I had finally convinced my new sister in law to go shopping with me. It had taken weeks. I understood, she needed to let that whole 'Jessica' thing settle somewhat. The girl still hadn't made a formal accusation and she was a constant annoyance. Anyway, today was about Bella and shopping!

"Sure, be out in just a minute, Alice!" she called from her bedroom, "Where are we going first?"

"I thought we would hit the Prado in Seattle! I need to see what Neimans has before we go to Bloomingdale or Sax! I don't suppose you are willing to go in Armani or Gucci with me, are you?"

"Alice", I said as we walked out the side door headed for her car, "You know I will never spend that kind of money on clothing!"

"Bella, when will you learn, being in fashion costs and it isn't as though you can't afford it. This second book is sure to be just as big a seller as the first, not to mention my brothers funds."

"I know, I know, I just do not see spending money on clothing. I would rather donate what I would have spent to a charity or an orphanage. Something to help someone, not cover my growing even huger rear end," she said, somewhat dismayed.

"Oh, don't be silly! You look so cute. You're starting to look pregnant and you have to have new clothes that fit!" I insisted. "Its so exciting! I can't wait for the baby shower. It is killing me that you made us wait so close to the babies are due. No shower till fall! Really, Bella!"

"You know the reason for that," a pained expression quickly crossing her face, "I just want to make sure everything is going to be alright. Edward had to put away baby things once before and we are not going to go thru that again, ever."

We chatted in the car for the ride to Seattle. The lies that Jessica was spewing were upsetting Edward and that upset Bella. We agreed to let that go for the day, she had dealt with it all every day when she went to the hospital to have lunch with my brother, and it was Saturday . . . time to relax. Even though he was working, I had convinced her to skip lunch with him just this once and come shopping with me, Edward had been on my side and had encouraged her to come as well. Bella complained a lot about the dozens of stores, but finally she bought some of the things she needed. I had Edward's black credit card to buy the things that looked wonderful on her, but she insisted were too expensive, or too many of one thing. He was determined she was going to have any and everything she might possibly be able to use.

"Alice, don't do that," she sighed exasperatedly, "I can't have you buying me all these things."

"It's alright, I have orders from my brother . . . and his card," I gloated and held up the little black card. We both burst into laughter at how sneaky he had been. They were so cute together. It was amazing how far my brother had come. From the self centered womanizer out for the game in high school, to a devoted husband and doctor now - it was amazing.

"When it comes to shopping, there are no sides, there are only amazing clothes and awesome purchases," I insisted.

We headed home by way of my Bella's Mom and Dad's house. Charlie had not been feeling well lately and she took every opportunity to see him. It was easy for me to stop in on them, I got along great with both of her parents and they loved me. Her Dad still believed that it had been Edward that had gotten his daughter pregnant in high school and Edward refused to argue the point with him. Honestly, they were both just so stubborn.

**Charlie POV**

"Alice, Bella! Come on in". I called from my chair in the living room. "I was just watching the game, lots of them on Saturdays you know. Sit down, sit down! Let me get you something to drink, Renee is at the grocers but she should be back soon."

"Dad, no, Alice and I are fine. Can we get you something, though?", I asked.

"No, no. Just visit with me. How are the ankles doing carrying both of those babies? Have you been out all day?" I asked her, noticing how tired she looked.

"Yea, Alice drug me all over Seattle shopping today. I thought she was going to kill me. I only got a short break from the work detail we apparently were on to eat lunch," Bella complained.

"Honestly", Alice huffed, "You'd think I was killing you just trying to have you prepared for your soon to be expanding waistline and the babies."

"So, where is that Edward today anyway? Why didn't he go with you? You hardly ever seem to be without him these days", I scoffed.

"Dad, Edward is at the hospital this weekend. He has to work one weekend a month and stay there on call and of course I am always with him," I frowned, "I love him."

"Right, right. As long as he is good to you, Bells," i told her begrudgingly. I still didn't trust that boy and she knew it.

"Charlie, Edward fusses over her and would do anything for her, you must see that by now", barked Alice.

"I'm sorry Alice. I'm just still having a hard time getting over all the deceit with them moving to New York and her coming back and not telling anybody anything. It's just hard and I guess it is easier to blame Edward with everything than to be mad at my daughter," I mused.

"You need to get past that, Dad. Edward is really an awesome man. He takes care of me and I take care of him. You know, we haven't lived together a whole year yet, but we have been married over five years Dad. He searched for me and waited for me all that time, it should count for something," my daughter insisted.

"Okay Bells, okay. I'm trying to jump on the Edward train. I guess I should be grateful to him for being willing to marry you and take care of you. Just seems so fishy that any 21 year old guy would do that for a girl he had never even been with, that's all," I still contended.

"That alone should tell you how great a guy he is, Dad," she exclaimed.

"Fine, fine, I guess that's something to think about, Bells. Will you and Edward be able to come to Easter dinner this year? You too Alice and your friend Jasper are welcome. I think your whole family is coming. Billy and Jake and Leah and the kids are coming," I told them.

"We'll be here, Dad. Can I bring anything?"

"No, No. Your Mom has that worked out with Esme and Leah. I guess you could check with her, though and see if there is anything else that needs doing," I told her, though I was pretty certain that it was all already arranged.

I was trying to be more accepting of her husband, but the rumors around town were flying and I had heard them all. I asked Carlisle about it and he explained what that girl, Jessica, was saying as well as Edward's replies to her accusations. Guess it would be hard to prove till she had the baby. All hell would break loose then . . . if it turned out to be his kid. I might just shoot him myself.


	19. Chapter 19  Jessica

******Disclaimer:** All the Twilight stuff belongs to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. I'm just playing in her sandbox.

**Chapter 19 Jessica**

"Yea, another beer, Tim."

"Tough day, Mike?"

"Nah, same as usual. God I hate hikers!"

"Ha! Regretting turning that family business into a chain store, are you?"

"Nah, the money's good."

"Mike."

"Hey, Tyler. How's it going?"

"Alright, I guess. Sorry I'm late. Thought we'd never get that last ship unloaded. Fucking short handed on the docks and no one on the loaders. Sucks," Tyler told them.

"Want a brew?" Tim asked.

"Yea, give me a Guinness, too, Tim."

"You got it," he said placing the drink in front of him.

"So, we still on for poker Friday night, Tyler?" Mike asked.

"Hell yea. Poker every Friday night at my house and no one to bitch at me about it," Tyler told them.

"Shit, that must be nice. My wife has a fit if I mention you guys coming over," Mike said.

"Still?"

"Yea."

"I told you how to solve that. Backhand the bitch, Mike," Tyler said.

"I can't do that, Tyler. I just can't hit a woman," Mike told him.

"Shit. I slapped Jessica silly every time the stupid bitch had anything to say about what I wanted to do," Tyler said, finishing his drink and gesturing to Tim to bring him another.

"Yea, well I want to keep my wife and family, Tyler. Jessica left you, didn't she?" Mike asked.

"Yea. Bitch left just before Christmas. Good riddance, I didn't have to get her a fucking Christmas gift," Tyler said causing us both to laugh.

"Come on, Tyler. Don't you miss her?" Mike asked.

"I miss having a warm ass to fuck every night. I miss that . . . and her fucking paycheck. Nurses make good money you know," Tyler said.

"Any chance she's coming back?" Mike asked.

"Hell no. I don't even know where the bitch went. Actually, Mike, she really pissed me off wanting me to stop drinking so much, talking about starting a family . . . and I might have hit her a few too many times," Tyler said.

"Shit, Tyler. Is she okay?"

"Hell if I know. When I woke up the next morning, her and her shit were gone and I haven't heard from her since. Good riddance. I'm not into the family bullshit, no offense, Mike. I know you have kids and all, but if the bitch was pregnant, her taking off was the best thing she could possibly have done for me," Tyler said.

"Well, I have to get home. My kids like to tell me goodnight before they go to bed. See ya tomorrow, Tyler. We're on for poker then on Friday at your place?"

"Yep. Every Friday. See ya, Mike," Tyler told him as Mike turned from the bar and headed for the door.

"Fucking pussy whipped," Tyler said.

"Who, Mike?" Tim asked from behind the bar.

"Yea."

"Maybe he just loves his wife, Tyler," Tim suggested.

"Shit. I love my cock, too, but it does what I tell it! Ha! And who I tell it," he laughed, amused with his drunken idea of a joke.

~oooOooo~

**EPOV**

"Bel . . . la . . . no. Come on . . .", okay so I begged. I was especially needy this morning.

"Sweetheart, you know you have to go," she told me.

"You are the only thing in my life that isn't a _have to_ right now," I told her, pausing to think about what I had just said. "That's a lie. You're a _have to_ as well," I whispered as I grabbed her rear and pulled her back into bed with me.

"Edward!" she squealed as she tumbled backwards and found herself once again under me.

"I _have to_ have you again, wife," I said, kissing her neck and holding her to me.

"Husband, you have to get to the hospital. You've _had me_ twice this morning already. Not that I wouldn't love to stay in this bed with you all day, but your father might have something to say about that when you don't show up for rounds," Bella said.

"But it's Monday. I hate Mondays. After spending three days in bed and alone with you, how do you expect me to leave you?" I asked, whining.

"Edward. If our spending days in bed is a problem, maybe we had better cut that out so that you will be more willing to leave and go to work," she laughed, stroking my stubbly face with her soft hands.

"NO! Are you mad? NEVER! I can give up work, I can't give up spending days and hours in bed with you, wife," I almost shouted, tickling her to make her pay for that horrible thing she just suggested.

"Ah . . . Edward . . . stop or I'll pee . . . Edward!," she squealed at me.

"Pee away, wife," I said as I continued to tickle her, "some people think that's kind of kinky, you know."

"Edward, stop!" she pleaded, laughing hard enough that I was actually concerned that she might just pee on me.

"Just a few more kisses then," I told her, my lips against hers as our tickles turned into something more.

"Ummn, yes. I love your kisses, husband," she said as she wiggled her hips under me, "and I love something else of yours as well."

I was hard . . . again. Third time this morning. I knew it was selfish of me, but setting the alarm for a couple of hours before I actually had to get up insured that we had time together. I knew we would make love before I left, we did each and every morning when we woke up, but sometimes I just needed . . . more. She loved for me to be on top, but it was becoming slightly difficult to lie on her for any length of time. She was in her fifth month and the twins were growing. I had to be careful to support more of my weight than I used to . . . she seemed to enjoy the feeling of being pressed into the mattress by me, but putting all my weight on her worried me now. It was silly, I knew that. Hell, that was my field of medicine and I knew better than most anyone what was and was not good for the babies, but this was _my_ wife and _my_ babies and somehow that changed things.

"Do you think they enjoy their toy?" she asked, a mere whisper in my ear as I moved in and out of her, one hand on her hip and the other caressing her breast.

"Toy?" I asked, not really paying attention. I was far too interested in the way her nipple pebbled under my touch and how soft and full her breasts had become. She was stroking up and down the back of my thigh with her tiny feet, urging me to thrust harder into her as her hips rocked into mine. I pulled almost all the way out and then pressed back in, over and over and over as she moaned beneath me and stroked my sides and back with her hands. She liked to run her fingers from my thighs over my but and up my back to the hair at the nape of my neck, and I fucking loved it. Loved it. I loved her.

"Yes, husband, do you think they are enjoying their toy?" She asked again.

With great effort, I raised my head from where my lips were kissing and sucking her neck and shoulder so that I could look into he eyes. The sparkle there was blinding. We were in the middle of passionately making love and she was teasing me about something, I just couldn't figure out what.

"Excuse me, wench, but I'm making love to my wife and you're interrupting me. What are you talking about?" I asked in an accusatory tone.

"Again I ask you, do you think they are enjoying their toy?"

"What . . . what the . . . toy? BELLA!" I gasped, understanding flooding my brain, " My dick is not a toy and certainly not a children's toy."

She was laughing and giggling at my response and the indignant look that I was sure was plastered on my face.

"Husband, you're so cure." she laughed.

"I. Am. Not. Cute. Wife! I am in the middle of making love to you with a raging huge hard on and you're in danger of deflating it talking about it as though it was a toy," I told her sternly. I was kidding of course and she knew it. Her laughing, however was doing some interesting things to me as our bodies were joined.

She reached down and grabbed me, squeezing the base of my dick and encircling it with her fingers as her hips ground into mine.

"I love your _raging hard on,_ baby. I love you," she said as she took my tongue into her mouth and attempted to see if it was possible to suck hard enough to detach it. God I loved her.

She pulled her legs up and crossed her ankles behind my but, changing the angle and pulling me even further into her. My body came like I hadn't had a climax in years, though I had two already this morning. I pushed into her farther with each stream as I released into my wife, and her body spasmed around me, milking me for everything she could as she screamed my name.

I rolled us to our sides and held her, not wanting to break the connection between our now sweat covered bodies, but knowing that I had in fact agreed to continue working at the damned hospital.

It wasn't that I hated the hospital, or my work. I loved babies, and being their doctor was amazing. I loved working with my father, and I was learning a great deal from him, as well as showing him some of the new techniques and keeping him up to date. I just hated the whispers, the questioning eyes, the rumors. I hated Jessica Stanley.

"Come on, husband. Shower with me," she said, rolling off the bed and pulling my hand to get me up.

I arrived at the hospital on time, thanks to my wife forcing me out the cottage door and promising to come and have lunch with me. Rounds went well, as did my consults, and Angela joined me in the lounge for coffee. Angela was a godsend.

"So, are we going to manage to go out to dinner this weekend?" she asked

"Angela, you know it's not you. It's just that by the time we get to Thursday, I've had it with being away from Bella. She had to drag me out of bed this morning," I told her.

"Edward, why don't you set your alarm earlier than you actually have to get out of bed so that you have extra time together?" she suggested.

I smirked. Laughed really at the very idea, "Angela, I already set it for five and I don't have to leave the house till six thirty." She laughed. "This morning I set the alarm for four, and I still didn't want to leave her," I laughed.

"She's a strong woman to put up with you! Have you thought of seeing someone about this addiction you have?" she asked.

"Sex?" I asked with a questioning look on my face. "Angela. We both enjoy keeping up our morning and evening routine and adding extras . . . making love a few times each day isn't that unusual," I told her.

"No. I don't mean sex, although what I wouldn't give to find a man that could maintain having sex a few times a day for months on end. I mean this addiction to Bella," she teased.

"Alright, alright. Saturday night then. Why don't you and Ben come over for dinner, you've never been to our cottage. You could bring swimsuits and we could start early in the afternoon on the beach, maybe go for a swim if it warms up," I suggested.

"That sounds like fun. Will it be alright with Bella?" Angela asked.

"Sure. I'll check with her when she comes to lunch, but I'm sure she'll love the idea. We're taking her Mom to breakfast on Sunday, so we'll have to make it kind of an early evening."

"Yes, well, let's see. If you go to breakfast at nine, then you'll have to set your alarm for five and that means if you get six hours of sleep . . . woops, Bella needs eight now that she's pregnant, so if we back that our, she'll need to be asleep by nine, which means you'll want to go to bed by seven at the latest . . . are you sure you don't just want to grill burgers or something for lunch then play on the beach for a little while? " Angela chided.

"Damn . . . you're right. Lunch then," I agreed, surprising her by taking her suggestion seriously. I did take her seriously . . . she was, after all, right on the money. I thought she was going to fall off the sofa she was laughing so hard.

"Fine then, you talk to Bella and let me know," she said, patting my shoulder as she stood to go back to the floor.

Just then, Jessica Stanley walked in.

"Oh, deciding to move on and get yet a third woman pregnant, Dr. Cullen?" she said curtly.

Angela looked at me, pleading with her eyes for me not to just kill the bitch. I stood and put my arm around Angela, gesturing to her that we should leave.

"I have no idea what you mean, Jessica. The only woman that I have ever gotten pregnant or slept with in the last six years for that matter, is my wife," I replied sharply, my voice a razor.

"When will you just admit the truth, Edward. You need to step up to your responsibilities on this and at least pay the bills. It's not as though you'd miss the money," she said with an annoying pleading tone to her voice.

"Jessica, I would have been more than happy to help you with money if that's what you needed. We were friends until you accused me of fathering your child. You need to get a grip on reality," I said as I held the door open for Angela.

"So that's it. You no longer want me and you're not going to help with your child?" she spat.

"It's NOT MY CHILD!" I almost yelled, "My WIFE is carrying MY CHILD, Jessica. Tell the truth, for once and stop this charade," I demanded.

"Charade? Charade, Edward, really? Tell you what. I'll make it real for you. I'll formally sue you, Edward. Want to loose your career over this?" she threatened.

"Angela, that sounds an awful lot like blackmail to me, doesn't it to you?" I turned to her and asked.

"It does, Dr. Cullen," Angela agreed, glowering at Jessica as we stood in the doorway of the lounge.

"Secondly, the Chief of Staff for the hospital forbade us from talking about this while at the hospital. Thirdly, Jessica, I couldn't give you money now if I wanted to because it would look like I was paying you off or like I really had done what you accused me of," I said and left, letting the door slam behind me.

"I don't know where the hell she gets off with that fucked up stuff," I said shaking my head and trying to regain my composure.

"She's apparently delusional. Has anyone insisted she get help or offered her therapy sessions?" Angela asked.

"You know what, that's a great idea. I would be happy to pay for her to face the truth, I just have to talk to Carlisle and the attorneys and make sure that she couldn't use it against me later. Bella would probably agree as well. Great idea, Angela," I said kissing her hair and hugging her before she walked off down the hall.

Jessica came out of the lounge and witnessed our exchange, shaking her head. I fought every instinct I had and ignored her, walking off the other way. The girl was pointedly wearing maternity clothes and holding her side when she didn't even look pregnant, if she even was.

"I'll speak to the attorneys, Edward. It's very generous of you to be willing to afford her therapy, but it might not be in your best interest," He said.

"Whatever you advise, Dad," I said as we waited in his office for Bella to arrive.

"There's my grandbaby's mother," he said, standing from where he was leaned against the desk and going to give her a hug.

"Hi Carlisle," she said, hugging him with a smile, "Are you taking care of my husband for me today?"

"I am, as much as he will allow. He's kind of stubborn you know," Carlisle laughed.

"Yes. I do know that and thank goodness for it. He was stubborn enough to wait for me, wasn't he," she said, softly kissing my lips as she came to stand beside me.

We talked about the counseling for Jessica and Bella agreed, if the lawyers thought it a good idea. I told her about the run in I had with Jessica while I was having coffee with Angela and what Jessica had threatened.

"You shouldn't let her get to you, husband. She's only jealous because she never had any of this," she said as her hand slid over the zipper of my pants causing me to instantly become hard.

"Baby, if you do that again, we'll be heading back up to my third floor office, not down to the lunchroom," I said kissing her, "or maybe I'll just have my way with you right here in the elevator."

"There is an emergency stop button . . . ," she whispered as she hitched her leg around my hips. Damn I loved her being pregnant. She was so in the mood . . . all the time.

~oooOooo~

**BPOV**

"Come on, wife. You know you want to," he taunted as he chased me down the beach, pouncing on me, careful not to let me fall. He lifted me into his arms and headed out into the freezing water.

"Edward! Put me down!" I screamed.

"As you wish, wife," he said, dropping me into the water with a laugh.

"No, not here!" I screamed as I touched the icy water, "Edward, you are so going to get for freezing me!"

"Promises, promises, wife," he chided.

"Looks to me like he already got it, Bella," Angela laughed, referring to the fact that I was already pregnant. Ben was rolling in the sand beside her he was laughing so hard.

"You two are better than watching comedy club." Ben told us as I ran over to grab my towel.

"I'm freezing and you think it's funny? We're not trying to freeze the babies and have them later, you know!" I laughed.

We headed in to change and for me to warm up. I might just need a fire in the fireplace, just to get back some of my heat. I took Angela into our room for us to change and she stopped cold in the doorway.

"Bella! That's the most beautiful, fairytale bed I have ever seen. Where on earth did you get it?", she asked.

"I don't know where it came from, Angela. Edward bought it for us when he bought our first apartment in New York years ago. Isn't it amazing?" I asked her.

"It really is. You say Edward picked it out?" she questioned.

"Yep. All by himself. He's such a guy on the surface, but he's such a sweet, romantic man underneath," I told her, "he just hides it well." We both laughed, knowing that it was true. We changed and joined the guys on the deck, already cooking burgers for us on the grill.

"Two enough for you?" Edward asked Ben as he turned the burgers that were grilling over the fire.

"More than enough, thanks. If I'm not working out today, I have to take it easy on the eating," he said.

"You work out a lot, Ben?" I asked, though I needn't. His body screamed extreme gym.

"I try and hit the gym everyday, sometimes twice a day. It just depends on whether I have anything else to do," he laughed, "I have actually been missing days since Angela and I started dating."

"I think you'll live," Angela told him.

"Edward has often talked about going to a gym. Edward, why don't you start going with Ben?" I asked.

"Bella. Guys don't go do shit with each other like girls do. When would I go? Mornings? I wake you up early enough as it is," Edward mused, "Besides, I already work out twice a day, every day." He paused for a minute, leaving our friends to wonder. I was appalled, knowing what was going to come out of his mouth next and sure enough," I get a workout every morning when I wake up and each evening before I go to sleep."

"Edward!"

"Don't worry about it, Bella. He's just as obnoxious and incorrigible at work. He talks about you all the time," Angela told me, "and your . . . um . . . routines."

"Edward!"

We finished eating and Angela and Ben gathered their things to leave.

"I'm so glad you could come. We have to do this again soon," I told Angela as she and Ben headed to their car. We had spent the afternoon grilling burgers, walking on the beach and trying our best to inch our way into the cold ocean water, to no avail. Well, except for Edward. He was certifiably insane when it came to swimming in the cold Pacific.

I did indeed need that fire to warm up.

~oooOooo~

**Jessica POV**

Damn him. Damn him and that little bitch he calls a wife. She messed up everything. He would have married me. He would, I just know it. He loved me. I know he loved me. Edward never yelled at me or hit me and he always treated me with respect and took me places. We would have been good together and my baby would have had a home and a father and it would not have wanted for anything.

I looked around at my sparse apartment. I just finished paying off all the bills that were run up in my name, thanks to Tyler. Asshole. I had to live like this till I could pay everything off and start over . . . furniture, car, I needed everything. Walking to work helped, of course. It was difficult in the winter, but it was only a couple of blocks. That had been on purpose, I knew I couldn't afford a car.

Mousy little bitch. I hated her even back in school. Always acting better than anyone else when in reality she was just a little plain Jane. Too bad that fucker, James, died. She would have stayed with him, I'm sure. Whatever.

I just needed to decide what to do. I needed Edward to take care of the baby, at least financially, and I had to figure out a way to make that happen. If I filed formal charges at work I bet he would settle for a lump sum out of court. Probably my best chance, just charging him with breach of promise meant little in this day and age, but using his position on staff to coerce me into having sex . . . well, that would cause him lots of trouble.

I hated to do it, I wanted him, not just his money. I wouldn't be having this baby if I had him, I would have ended it. He would never have known and I had a limited amount of time now . . . the baby was due at the end of summer and I couldn't let this carry out that long or he would know . . . they all would know.


	20. Chapter 20  July 4th

******Disclaimer:** All the Twilight stuff belongs to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. I'm just playing in her sandbox.

**Chapter 20 July 4th **

**Jessica POV**

Why was he so damned stubborn!

I left my attorney's office, still reluctant to let him formally file the charges. Edward had a copy of the complaint and an offer to settle before they were filed, keeping everything under the table and off his permanent record. I didn't want to hurt his reputation as a doctor, he was amazing with babies and they needed him. I just had to do something! I couldn't continue to live this way, hand to mouth, and now I would have childcare and all the expenses that a baby entailed. No. There was just no way I could do it and ever hope to live any differently than I did right now.

I tossed my purse onto the table and plopped down on the ragged sofa. Something had to give . . . but right now it seemed like it was my feet that were squawking the loudest. I scooted back and propped them up on the end of the sofa as I lay down to rest for a bit. It had been a long day just using the bus system to get to the attorney's office and back. I had switched my schedule at work from three twelve hour shifts to five eight hour shifts. It was more hours for the same pay, but i could not stand on my feet the full twelve hours anymore. It would put me at the hospital for the other day that Edward worked as well. He was there so little, six or eight hours a day, four days a week. Must be nice I thought as I dozed off to sleep.

~oooOooo~

**Tyler POV**

"Yep. another one, Tim. Keep'um coming till I can't sit on this stool anymore, got it?" I told the barkeep.

"You know I can't do that, Tyler. Grab a twelve pack and go home if what you want is to drowned yourself, it's cheaper anyway," Tim said from behind the bar as he opened another one for me.

"Fuck it, Tim. I don't give a shit. Just give me another damned bottle when I finish this one."

"Tyler, you're here early," Mike said to me as he walked in and sat down at the bar, "Day off?"

"Fuck no," I laughed, "I never get a fucking day off . . . not when I work that is."

Mike took a draw on his beer, staring at me to explain what the hell I was talking about.

"I got fired!" I blurted out, a little louder than I probably intended. I was already drunk, I didn't care, "Laid off . . . they called it _laid off._ Might as well have said fired. No fucking pay check coming in, might as well call it fired."

"Damn. Man, I'm sorry to hear that, Tyler. I knew the economy was still shit, but they keep saying it's getting better," Mike told me.

"Yea," I laughed, " I'd like to know just who that fucker is that says it's getting better so I could ream him a new asshole. Better my ass. Let him live in the shit hole I live in that's the result of all this _better_!"

"So, what the hell you going to do?" Tim asked as he continued to dry glasses and hang them over his head.

"I was thinking of going and finding my cash cow," I told them. They both looked at me like I had gown a third eye, what the fuck!

"Jessica! Remember, the bitch I called my wife?" I reminded them.

"I thought she left before Christmas," Mike questioned, "How the hell did you find out where she went, has she called or kept in touch?"

I was my turn to stare at him like he had a third eye, "Why the fuck would the bitch call me when the last time I laid eyes on her I beat the shit out of her?"

"Just wondered, Tyler. Fuck, don't get on my case. I just thought you might have heard from her," Mike said, backing off.

"Fuck no. I know where she went, though. Only place she would have gone . . . Forks."

"You think she went back there?" Mike asked, seeming shocked,"Nobody in their right mind goes back to that dead end town."

"Well who the hell said the bitch had a mind?" I said and we all spent the next few minutes laughing over it.

"Another one, Mike?" Tim asked as I emptied the bottle.

"Yea, sure. My wife is out at her Mom's tonight helping her with some plans for a party or something . . . fourth of July party this weekend I think. The kids are sleeping over and she's going to call me when she's headed home," Mike explained.

"Ah! Mikey's getting some loud sex bending the wife over the sofa, huh! No fucking kids home to interfere."

"It's not quite like that, Tyler. We've been married six years. There's no bending over the sofa to it, my wife would have my balls if I even suggested she do that for me," Mike told us.

"Yea. my girl says that's demeaning and she's not doing it," Tim complained.

"Fuck. You pussies need to teach those girls a thing or two. Nice little ass bent over the back of a sofa . . . how the hell is that demeaning? It's just hot is all," I told them.

"Whatever. Not happening at my house," Mike all but whined.

"Well, I'm paid up at the apartment till the end of the month. If they don't call me back in the next week or two, I'll take me a ride down to Forks. My bitch is predictable. She'll have gone back and gotten a job at Forks Hospital. All I'll have to do is sit outside and wait till I see her come out. Shifts always end at 3pm or 7pm. Won't take long to spot her," I mused.

"You're sure of that are you?" Tim asked.

"Hell yea I'm sure. She tries to be all responsible and shit, so I know she has no extra money for a car or anything. I ran up all her charge cards and she'll be trying to pay them off. She'll be hold up in an apartment right near the hospital, and in Forks, that narrows it to about four buildings!" I laughed.

"More power to you then, but why the hell do you think she'll come back to your ass now with you out of work?" Mike asked.

"I don't want the bitch to come back to anything, I could give a fuck. I need her to support me and if I have to go there for her to do it, it's alright with me!" I laughed, knowing I would have to really ruff her up this time to get her to do what I wanted.

~oooOooo~

**EPOV**

ring . . . . ring . . . . ring. . . .

"Geez, why is the alarm going off so early? We don't have to get up for another couple of hours," Bella complained.

"Good morning, wife", I said sleepily. "I'm afraid I'm the one who set the alarm for this early", I said as I stroked her cheek with my knuckles and kissed he lips. "I wanted to make sure we didn't oversleep and have to hurry to your Dad's house."

"Husband, we have hours till we have to even start to get ready."

"I know."

I continued to trail kisses from the hollow of her shoulder to her ear and over to the very edge of her lips. My fingers tracing patterns over the growing babies in her belly as my leg hitched over one of hers. She reached a hand into the hair at the nap of my neck and stretched and moaned.

I almost came undone. She always had that effect on me, even something as simple as a morning stretch.

"I love you this morning", she said as she turned toward me and nuzzled her face into the crook of my neck.

I continued to trace patterns on her belly. I could feel the movement of our babies as we lay together and I had never been so happy, so content. I knew when we awoke this morning we would make love, we never left our bed in the mornings without it, but I had wanted more this morning, longer, repeatedly. I just wanted my wife. Okay, I was a little needy this morning.

"Are you okay?", she asked quietly as my hand reached the back of her knee, pulling her leg over my hips.

"I am absolutely fine", I managed to whisper as my lips never left the skin at the base of her throat, my hand gently caressing her already moist folds.

"I love you."

It was all I managed to say as I slowly sheathed myself in her, side by side, gently rocking into each other. It was all I needed to say. The look in her eyes said everything. I held her with one arm gently on the small of her back and caressed her breast with the other hand. Her breasts were enlarged from the pregnancy and extremely sensitive. Just gently sucking on her nipple sent her over the edge. The sight of my wife in orgasm instantly brought my own climax as I felt myself push deeper into her and then release. Neither of us broke our kiss but continued to lazily suck on each others tongue and face and neck.

She rolled me to my back, sitting atop me and gently started moving her hips, my erection hardening again within her. I cupped both breasts as she set a rhythm she was comfortable with and stroked my chest. She bent to kiss me and I flipped us over so that I was holding my weight above her. It would not be long till this position would become impossible with the babies. I loved taking advantage of it while I still could. She loved it too. All the way out and gently back in, over and over and over for what seemed like hours, reveling in each other, enjoying each others bodies and sharing the love we both felt. It was glorious. I loved our wild and frenzied, heated, passionate lovemaking as well, but there were times when just slowly moving together and basking in the love and joy we felt just being together could not be equaled. We were a part of each other, gently moving in unison, our arms locked around each other, tongues gently entwined. It was everything. God I loved this woman.

~oooOooo~

"Are you sure shorts and a tee shirt is the way to go, sweetheart?", I asked as I stepped from the shower. She leaned out of the shower door and said, "Edward, it's just a barbecue."

"I know, I know, but fuck it's at your Dads. You know he hates me and I want to make sure I do everything I can to change that, even down to making sure I'm dressed correctly for the party."

She grabbed my behind as I bent to put on my boxers, "Well I love you and he will too when he gets to know you. How could he not. After all," she said as she stood naked in front of me hugging me and stroking the now hardening bulge in my boxers, "you're the father of his grandsons."

Damn right. Those were MY babies she carried.

I helped put the dishes she had prepared in the trunk and we headed to the Swan's.

Charlie was pleasant, well . . . cordial at least when we arrived. He always seemed to be watching us, looking for something. I have to admit, it wasn't possible to get to one of us without the other present. We were always holding hands or had our arms around each other or hands on the others thighs, or something. No matter the availability of chairs, she often preferred to sit on my lap, even while chatting with friends and family. It just seemed natural. It felt wrong not to be touching in some way.

"Jake, how are the kids?"

"Ha!", he laughed, "You would know, you're their doctor!"

"In that case, they look perfect to me", we both laughed. Carlisle joined us, having heard the joke. "If my son the doctor said so, that must be how it is."

We were all laughing and joking and having a great time. Bella had been right, shorts and a tee shirt was indeed the preferred outfit for most of our family, designer shorts and tee shirt for Alice, of course and Rosalie didn't do tee shirts! They were all funny, in their own way, and Renee was back and forth talking to Bella, my sisters and Leah. I watched the small children running and playing in the yard and realized more than ever, I just could not wait to meet my sons.

My sons. James Edward and Masen Charles Cullen. We had already named them, of course. I suggested to Bella that we name one after James and when the shock on he face subsided and the tears lessened, she told me that that was the kindest most thoughtful thing she could ever imagine me suggesting. To name my son after the man who had gotten her pregnant in high school. I reminded her that he had been my best friend and that without him we would not be together today. These babies were perfect, perfectly healthy and progressing by the book. I had every test possible run on them . . . just in case.

I was abruptly startled from my musings and stiffened as Charlie came to sit beside me.

"Edward, son, we need to talk." I stiffened. I was a 27 year old married doctor who was about to be a father and this man still scared the shit out of me.

"This doesn't have anything to do with Jessica Stanley. I don't even want to talk about that little gold digger," he said dismissively. "You know how angry I've been about you and Bella hiding her condition from me when she graduated high school and I guess I understand her reasons for not wanting to spoil that day for her mother and I. But we need to get past it. I need to get past it."

I fidgeted with the glass of iced tea in my hands, my elbows resting on my knees.

"I can see how she feels about you. How you feel about her. Any damned fool could see that you two love each other and now with the babies . . . "

"Charlie . .", I started to speak and he raised his hand to stop me.

"Let me finish. I know you love my daughter and those babies and I want you to know I was wrong. I misjudged you. You were there caring for her when I didn't. She knew she would be met with anger and embarrassment from me, but you took her in, married her and cared for her.

Hell I even believe you now that James was the father at the time, not you."

I looked at him astonished.

"I never even kissed her till the day I married her, Charlie."

"Ha, that so. You know, son, I believe you. James must have been one hell of a friend for you to agree to marry her for him. And that makes you one hell of a man to keep your word to him the way you have. You never annulled the marriage when she left you, you could have so easily. You would have had your life back."

"Charlie, she is my life. She has been from the first kiss, I just didn't realize it then. I have never missed anything as much as I missed her when she left me and I had never done more than kiss her lips goodnight when we went to bed each evening."

"Damn, son. I would never have thought you to have that kind of restraint. You were kind of a player with the women when you were here in Forks."

"Yes I was. I used women for sex and then couldn't get rid of them fast enough. Bella changed all that. I have been with no other woman since I married your daughter and I plan to keep it that way. She's everything to me."

"Huh, even the 4 years in New York when she left you? You were alone, good looking and in medical school. Surely there were other girls after you."

"There were. I never took off my wedding ring and that stopped some of them. The ones it didn't stop were obviously not the type women I even wanted to be friends with, much less anything more. I threw myself into my studies, got a buddy of mine to move into the condo with me in the other bedroom so I wasn't totally alone. His girl moved in with him and she made sure I are decent meals and washed my clothes occasionally. I was kind of a mess without Bella."

"Edward, if you don't mind my asking, how did you afford all that? I've seen her rings and she says you gave them to her the morning you were married here at the courthouse. How the hell did a 21 year old in college and living at home afford something like that?"

"I had inherited money from my grandparents, Charlie, all of us did when we reached 21 years old."

"So you spent it on rings for her? What about the condo in New York and the first class tickets to fly there and all the other things Bella talks about having while she was there?"

"Charlie, I don't like to talk about finances. You can imagine that I make a good living now, as a doctor, but James knew about my inheritance. He knew I could take care of her if something happened to him."

"A condo in New York though, was that you or Carlisle paying the bills? I'm only asking because I think I should cover the cost of her housing and doctors and such while she was there and I don't want it to have come out of Carlisles' pocket. I just don't feel right as her father for not taking care of her then."

He looked strained, saddened. I felt like I was starting to understand. I would not tolerate anyone else caring for my sons and they were not even born yet. He had Bella for 18 years before she moved away with me. What must that have been like for him? I could not imagine, but my feelings for him softened with understanding.

"I don't like to discuss this, Charlie and I would ask you to please keep this information to yourself", I raised my head to look him in the eye as he nodded his acceptance of my request.

"I bought the condo, Charlie. Carlisle paid for my school, but nothing more and yes, it was expensive. It had to be a good, safe area and that is hard to come by in New York City. I chose the building closest to campus so that Bella would have the shortest walk to class and I would never be far from her. Our two bedroom condo was smaller than your house and I paid $1,750,000 for it."

Charlie gasped.

"When Bella and I arrived, the only furniture I had purchased was a king sized canopied bed with one of those sleep number mattresses so that she would be comfortable. I spent the next week taking her to stores and getting her to pick out all the other furniture. The baby furniture she chose is stored in the attic at my parents home, we thought she was having a girl. She bought all new furniture for the two sons we're expecting."

"I had no idea you had that kind of money."

"No one does. I wouldn't be telling you now but she is your daughter and you asked. I don't like to talk about the money that I have, it simply allowed me to be certain she was comfortable. If the truth be known, it was Bella that saved me not the other way around." Charlie looked at me with surprise.

"When I was 20 and living here, I had planned to see how many ways I could spend that money and invest in nothing but women and a good time. My promise to James changed that. I figured part of being a good husband and father meant financial stability and a home. I purchased the condo and invested instead of spending. I have Bella to thank for that. She asked nothing of me, not money, not even fidelity. It made me stand on my own and decide how I wanted my life to go and what kind of man I wanted to be. She is amazing."

My wife walked up behind us as we spoke and placed a hand on each of our shoulders.

"How are the two men I love most?", she asked almost as if she was afraid of the answer.

"My new son and I are doing real well, Bells, real well", Charlie said as he ruffled my hair and excused himself.

Bella sat on my lap and looked astounded. "Guess I finally won him over, wife."

She put her arms around my neck and kissed me . . . really kissed me. My dick responded immediately, it didn't care that we were at my father in laws house sitting in the yard with all of my family. My wife ignored the problem she was bound to feel against her thigh. I might be a twenty seven year old married doctor, but my dick continued to act like a horny seventeen year old out at a party.

We all pulled lawn chairs onto the front lawn and positioned them towards town a block or two away. The fireworks were being set off from the parking lot behind Newton's Outfitter's right in down town Forks, same as every year. It was a bid deal in this town with lots of sales in the stores and red white and blue banners every where you looked.

I sat on a lounge chair with my feet on either side of it and Bella sat between my legs, leaning back against my chest and propping her feet up. She had stood quite a bit today and her ankles were slightly swollen. Nothing unusual about that in a woman seven months pregnant.

We watched the fireworks with her family and mine. Jake and Leah were reclined on a lounge chair, much the same as Bella and I were, watching their kids play in the yard. Jasper sat in a chair holding hands with Alice and Emmett stood behind the chair where Rose sat. Charlie leaned against his patrol car, standing in a small group talking to Esme, Renee and Carlisle and occasionally fussing at one of the Black's kids to get away from the street.

I looked around, taking note of each and every member of my family and my friends and realized what a lucky bastard I really was. My fucked up life had turned on a dime when I married the girl that was now in my arms. I loved her more than anything, and I would spend the rest of my life appreciating all of the blessings that I fucking had right there on that lawn with me.

~oooOooo~


	21. Chapter 21  Uncertain Actions

******Disclaimer:** All the Twilight stuff belongs to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. I'm just playing in her sandbox.

**Author's Note:** Sorry the chapter is late, Fanfiction would not work on Saturday nor last night when I tried to post this!

**Chapter 21 Uncertain Actions  
**

_I looked around, taking note of each and every member of my family and my friends and realized what a lucky bastard I really was. My fucked up life had turned on a dime when I married the girl that was now in my arms. I loved her more than anything, and I would spend the rest of my life appreciating all of the blessings that I fucking had right there on that lawn with me._

**Jessica POV**

July. It was fucking July and I was seven months pregnant. What the hell was I going to do? I didn't wasn't to be here, in this town. I had wanted out of Forks my whole life, longing for the big city lights and a better future than I could possibly have here in this nothing town. I had no idea when I moved here last December that I'd be pregnant and in this kind of a mess. I thought I was getting away from a mess, not running to one. I was tense before I ever got to work, worried about the attorney's meeting I had set for tomorrow after work. Edward had not relented one single bit, claiming that he would never give me money to settle anything because it would appear that he was guilty of something that he didn't do. The man annoyed the hell out of me. I had put up with his lack of interest in anything, including sex, for the three months or so that we went out but I had never thought him to not be giving. He had always been very generous with his money . . . till now.

I clocked in and did report. Though I was usually the floor secretary, we were short staffed and I had to take three patients this morning. To make matters much worse, one of them was Edward's patient.

"Shelly, I'm not supposed to have contact with Dr. Cullen, can you swap me out on this patient of his?" I asked the charge nurse.

She looked at me like I just asked her to rob a bank for me telling saying, "Miss Stanley, if you feel you are not capable of fulfilling your job in a professional manner, perhaps you should not be here at all?"

Bitch.

"I was just trying to follow Dr. Carlisle Cullen's orders, Shelly, and stay the hell away from Dr. Edward Cullen. If I'm asked, I'll let him know that you thought better of his request and assigned me one of his patients anyway."

"Fine," she smiled as she switched me to a different patient. I found out the reason for her smile the first time I checked on the patient. I had no idea it was possible to be that grouchy and needy at the same time. Absolutely nothing pleased the woman and I was never happier than when it was my turn to go to lunch. That is . . . until I got to the cafeteria.

There they sat, holding hands and being gooey with each other, Edward and the mouse he called a wife. I had no idea what the hell he saw in her. It continued to amaze me that he had been with her for so long and still acted like they were dating . . . flirting and kissing in public. I don't think I had ever seen him with her that he wasn't touching her in some way, or her touching him. The girl had nothing on me and it infuriated me to even see her, let along to see her with him.

He had never been that way with me. Ever. I had done every single thing I could think of to be nice and extremely thoughtful while I had been dating him, taking extra care with everything I wore and said, even lessening the amount of makeup I wore because he preferred less. I thought I had been making progress. He even called me back a couple of times when I asked him to and I had accompanied him to his parents house on several occasions. Meeting the parents, wasn't that supposed to mean something?

Now, with _her_ at his side, he ignored me completely. I couldn't even say hello to him and get a pleasant response . . . or any response at all, I thought as I stood in line to pay for my salad. Shit, here he comes, be calm . . be calm. "Hello, Edward," I said as he reached by me to grab condiments from the shelves. I'm sure he would have waited till I had paid if he had noticed me there, but he probably paid no attention till he was right on me. "Jessica," he replied and nodded, returning to his table. At least he responded to me, though he made no eye contact. It was an improvement.

I returned to the floor, having eaten alone and in record time. I wouldn't bother but I kept little food at home, walking from the grocery store was difficult these days. After checking my patients I returned to the station to add notes to their files and make sure everything was documented. Edward was there, at the file rack, apparently about to do orders. I took a deep breath and walked in, sitting down with my charts at one of the stations. I don't know what I was thinking, or even if I was thinking, but I got up to get a different chart, and instead of going back to my seat I walked over to the desk where he was and put a hand on his shoulder. No one was around and I just wanted a quiet word with him.

"Edward, I don't want to fight with you, please."

"Jessica, you should have thought about that before you accused me of fathering your child."

"But, Edward. We were close once, can we please just not fight?"

He stood, abruptly causing my hand to slide down his arm as he moved away from me. "Don't touch me, do you understand. We are not even supposed to speak, you know that," he snapped, tossing the chart to the station desk and turning to leave.

"Edward! Don't treat me like this, we meant too much to each other!" I yelled, a crowd starting to gather halfway down the hall from us. I didn't care. Aside from the money, I missed his company . . . we were friends . . .

"We _were _friends, Jessica. You did this," he said, gesturing to the space between us, "We could have remained friends if you hadn't accused me of things that never happened."

"But, Edward . . . I still love you!" I yelled, tears streaming down my face.

"You never loved me, Jessica. You loved the idea of being married to a doctor, and since you knew you were pregnant, you wanted a husband and money. All I ever was to you was money."

"That's not true! You're going to pay for that, you're going to pay for saying that you bastard!" I screamed.

He turned and started to walk away, down the hall. I wasn't finished with him yet and I virtually ran after him and grabbed his arm, spinning him slightly toward me, though I think he turned so that I didn't hurt myself in the attempt. I was, after all, quite pregnant.

"Stop this before you get hurt!" he said, pulling away from me. I let my hand slide down his arm, and he was moving away from me again. He couldn't . . . I just couldn't let him go. I dug my nails into his skin as I felt the sleeve slip by, effectively grabbing his wrist.

"It doesn't have to be like this! I need you, Edward!" I said, slightly more quietly than the yelling I had been doing, "I was there for you when you needed someone."

"Yes, you were there, Jessica, but there for me or yourself?" he said as he used his other hand to peel my hand from his wrist, "Stop this or you're going to get yourself hurt!"

He walked away. I just stood there blubbering like an idiot as I watched him get onto the elevator. There was a crowd now, watching. They all stood, not moving . . . waiting to see what I would do next I suppose. I turned and walked back to the nurses station, sat down at the desk where I had laid a chart before, and opened it to continue making my notes. After a few minutes, I heard the quiet footsteps of the other nurses going about their business and the onlookers dissipating, back to whatever it was they had been doing before they came out to witness our little display. I wondered absently, how long it would take Carlisle Cullen to hear about this, or perhaps that was exactly where Edward had gone when he left my floor.

Fuck it. There was nothing I could do to change it anyway. I needed this to resolve itself, I needed him to just settle out of court so that I could take the money and have something to get stared in a different town, far away from here. I couldn't stand it here, I didn't want my baby here . . . that couldn't happen!

The rest of the day, amounting to only a couple of hours, passed quickly as everyone left me the hell alone. I gave report, clocked out and left, not even bothering to wash my hands after work. I was usually fastidious about washing up and bringing germs home and such, but today I just didn't care. It was less than a mile to my apartment, nothing much on the street of interest as I drove, using the car I borrowed from my neighbor. She was on vacation for two weeks and for two weeks, I actually didn't have to walk to and from work . . . and anywhere else I wanted to go.

Unexpectedly, I felt the thud thud thud that I knew could only mean one thing. I had a flat. A flat tire. It figured, I thought as I pulled off onto the concrete left where they had demolished an old store. Tears rolled down my cheeks as I brushed them away, trying to see through them to open the trunk of the car, hoping to God that thee was a jack and a spare tire. It was one of the few hot days that we would have in Forks during the summer, and sweat poured down my face as I tried to get the bolts holding the tires on to loosen. The tire iron kept slipping and I scraped the side of my hand on the wheel, some stupid rough spot after the hub cap came off had dug onto me and now blood was making it even harder to get a grip on the wrench to loosen the tire. I found the jack, and I was trying to figure out just where the hell to put it when a car stopped. Shit. I didn't really want to be seen like this, sweaty and completely undone I reached into the trunk and grabbed an old shirt to wipe my hand on so that at lest I wasn't dripping blood on whoever had taken pity on me and stopped. Tossing the shirt back into the trunk, I walked around the car only to come face to face with my own personal hell

~oooOooo~

**EPOV**

I had tried to take Bella's advice, I really had. She had said she felt sorry for Jessica, and she had encouraged me to be civil to her when we spotted her in the fucking lunchroom. I had been and I continued to try to be, well at least not to be an asshole. During the time we had been together, I had found that Bella was almost always right when it came to things to do with me, and this was no different. I just couldn't let her fucking touch me. Maybe she hadn't meant anything by it, but it was just too much. She reminded me that we were friends, and that was a stretch, but telling me she loved me . . . yelling it down the hallway at the hospital . . . no fucking way. Yea, I turned on her. I told her that all she ever saw me as was a fucking bank account and that I wanted no part of her.

She needed to stop grabbing me or she was going to hurt herself. If I had just jerked my arm away like I wanted to I was pretty sure she would have just toppled over, as unsteady on her feet as she was. Regardless of how I felt about her, she was pregnant and I loved babies. I would never do anything to harm her baby,

I tossed my lab coat onto the sofa in Carlisle's office as I continued to rant and rave about how in the world I was supposed to work on the same floor as that woman.

"Settle down, Edward. Obviously someone made a mistake, she isn't even supposed to be on the pediatric floor. I'll go over the schedules from now on to make sure it doesn't happen again, son. We can't have outbursts like that in the hospital," Carlisle reminded me, "At least you were careful with her, weren't you?" His eyes ran to my wrist. I hadn't noticed it before, but her fingernails had made several deep scratches in the skin and blood was drying on my arm.

"Fuck. Of course I was careful with her, Dad! She grabbed me and I could have pulled her over if I had tried to get away from her too fast. Apparently I wasn't fast enough," I said rising to pace back and forth and examine my wrist.

"How is Bella taking all of this?" Carlisle asked.

I plopped down in the chair, exasperated. "Bella is fucking amazing. She had lunch with me and Jessica showed up and all Bella could think of was to tell me to be nice to Jessica. Civil to her I think she said," I chuckled to myself, "She seems to understand perfectly that another woman wants me . . . apparently she thinks I'm a catch."

"You used to think you were all that where the ladies were concerned, remember?" Carlisle goaded me, "From what I hear, you were quite the player before you left for college at NYU, Edward."

"Yea. well that was fucking forever ago, Dad. The only opinion of me that I care about now is Bella's and so far, she loves me," I smirked.

"You're very lucky to have Bella, son. She really seems to be an amazing young woman and perfect for you. At any rate, no more outbursts. I'll see to the schedules so that she isn't on your floor, Edward. Your shift is over, are you through with your rounds?"

"Yea, all done. Everyone is doing surprisingly well right now, and I don't need to check on the again till in the morning. Usually Mondays are longer, but apparently the weekend went well for all my patients," I replied.

"Good, get out of here then. Go home, son."

I left the office and signed out, heading to my car. Bella had reminded me at lunch that she had agreed to meet her publisher at one of the little restaurants in town and it would be awhile before she got home. I left the parking lot, immersed in my own thoughts and headed off to do a couple of errands. I passed a car on the side of the road and thought I saw a woman trying to change a tire. I couldn't be sure, it was the tire on the opposite side of the car and I didn't have a clear view. Fuck. It was a hot day and very few people would be passing by at this time of day to offer her help. Damn it, I couldn't just leave her there to change the fucking tire, if that's what it was. I whipped my car around and pulled it beside the disabled car. Jessica. What the hell? She didn't even own a damned car so I had never given it a thought that it could be her, though I would have been hard pressed to fucking drive by and leave her stranded, regardless.

She was standing at the fucking trunk with the crow bar in her hand, crying. Taking the damn tool from her, I bent down, easily loosening all but one of the lug nuts then positioning the jack that she had out under the car. She just stood looking at me, apparently she had cut her hand and she was dripping blood. I hadn't realized she was injured. When I saw the blood, I tossed the tire iron in her front seat and led her over to my car, sitting her in the passenger seat and reaching in the back for my bag. Without a word between us, I cleaned her hand, laying the pieces of gauze in the floor board, and bandaged it.

"Stay there till I finish," I told her. I had left my car on and the air conditioning would do her good. She appeared to have gotten way too hot trying to deal with the damned tire. I grabbed my tire iron out of the trunk as it would allow me more leverage to get the rusted lug off on her car and it worked like a charm, loosening the fucking rusted bolt with relative ease. I jacked up her car, changed her tire and put the fucking flat tire back where the spare went in the truck along with the jack.

"You're all set, Jessica, I told her as I returned my tool to my truck. You need to get someone to put a new tire on the rim so you'll have a spare, though," I told her as I stood outside the passenger door of my car, holding it open for her to get out.

"Thank you, Edward," she said, still crying. She walked to her car and got in. I expected her to try to engage me in some type of fucking discussion because she looked like it took everything she had to lift her foot and walk away. After she pulled out, I followed her to make sure she got home. She was crying and shit and I really wasn't sure she should be driving at all but I sure as hell wasn't getting into a car with her. I circled into her apartment complex. looking for the car to make sure she had gotten out and gone inside. A small child I recognized ran out in front of me chasing a ball and I screeched the brakes to stop well before I was near him.

"Thank you, Dr. Cullen! Sorry about that," the child's mother called out to me. I knew she had been a patient, but her name escaped me, "No problem. Stay safe," I told her as I slowly drove to Jessica's building, saw that she was not in it the car that was parked outside, and left. I had several errands to do, but I wasn't in the mood to do any of them now that I was sweaty and dirty.

Though I knew Bella wasn't going to be home for awhile, I went to my house, parked my car and changed into some board shorts to walk Kismet down the beach.

There was absolutely no one there, unbelievable on a day as sunny as this, and I laid down in the sand and basked in the warmth and the sunlight. It was late in the day, but it was still glorious on the beach listening to the waves and letting the stress from the day melt away.

~oooOooo~

**Tyler POV**

"Mikey! Wsssup, man?" I drunkenly asked as noticed Mike sitting down next to me at the bar.

"Starting early today, Tyler?"

"He's been here all day," Tim, the barkeep told him, talking about me.

"All day?" Mike asked, surprised.

"Yep."

"Fucking right I've been here all day," I almost shouted, "I got no where else to be."

"What the fuck happened?" Mike asked.

"Got a pink slip yesterday . . . laid off they called it . . . fuckers," I said, swigging the last of the bottle and slamming it down on the bar. "I need another beer," I said slapping another twenty on the bar. It was Saturday afternoon and I had no where else to fucking be. I had cash from being paid, but the fucking landlord locked my apartment. I had to break in to get my things and I sure as shit wasn't going back there. Fuck it.

"You've been laid off before, back near Easter if I remember right," Mike said.

"Yea, but this time I;m behind on everything from last time. I can't fucking wait it out again," I explained.

"Are you driving, Tyler?" Tim asked.

"Fucking a I'm driving. I'm driving my ass out to my car. That's where I live now . . . my car," I told them, "It's outside in the parking lot and nobody better fuck with me for being there tonight."

"What the hell, Tyler. Tomorrow is Sunday, you gonna still be here then?" Tim asked me.

"Yep. You got a shower here, barkeep?", I said, looking at Mike, "Maybe I'll just live here."

"Seriously, Tyler, what are you going to do?" Mike asked me, looking fucking sorry for me.

"I told you before what I was gonna do if this happened . . . I'm gonna find that little bitch of a whore of mine and make her fuckin' support me," I told them, laughing, "Even if she was a bad lay, there's no such thing as a bad blow job now is there?"

"You're serious?"

"Yep."

"You think you can find her that easily?"

"Ha! That little whore knows no better than to go back home. Forks. She'll have her ass working at the hospital in Forks is where she'll be," I told them.

"Yea. but she left your ass, Tyler. What makes you think she'll have you back?" Tim asked, drying the bar where I spilled my beer.

"Pffft. Bitch will do what I say if she knows what's good for her," I slurred. I knew that my words were getting fuzzy because the faces of Tim and Mike were getting kind of blurry, too. I stood shakily and turned, stumbling to the door and fumbling with the handle once I got to it. I lit a cigarette in the warm night air and blew smoke to the sky. Yep, the bitch would take care of me for a while, i would go get my cash cow and make her see things my way for a change. I stumbled to my car and made it to the backseat before things went dark and started spinning, the door never getting closed. I had all next week to worry about it, this was the weekend an I had no intention of sobering up till at least Monday.

~oooOooo~


	22. Chapter 22  Do it Now!

******Disclaimer:** All the Twilight stuff belongs to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. I'm just playing in her sandbox.

**Authors note:** Thank you all for being so so patient with me while real life kicks my butt! Never fear, I will not abandon the story and leave you hanging! I wrote this this morning as I had a few minutes in between trying to pack and move my house a whole half mile away! lolv Need smaller house, but after 25 years in one home, there is A LOT OF STUFF to get rid of! I thought some afternoon lemons would be tasty . . . I'll correct the errors later, no time to go over it a third time . . . hope you enjoy!

**Chapter 22 Do It Now!**

_Though I knew Bella wasn't going to be home for awhile, I went to my house,_

_parked my car and changed into some board shorts to walk Kismet down the beach._

**BPOV**

I hate editors and deadlines and _artists conceptions_ and most of all, I hated the fact that I just didn't know exactly where I was going with the characters in my book. The first book was simple, not intended to be published when I had first written it. It had been therapy, a way of thinking about Edward and loosing myself in him for days on end. There had been times while I was writing that I could feel his breath on my neck and his hands on me doing things to my body that only my dreams gave life to. Truth be told, it had also been the only way I knew to have a happily ever after with Edward, and I wanted that . . . I had wanted him more than anything else.

The new book was harder, I took the characters to places I had never been in reality, only in my head. I was used to imagining, just not a completely separate reality, one we would never have. I was living the perfect reality, the life Edward and I had now . . . and _that_ was not in my story.

Things were different now. I rubbed my belly as I drove along the coast highway towards home, feeling my babies moving around. Edward's babies. God I loved that man. Though there were bumps and problems in our lives, somehow everything still seemed perfect. My husband loved me more than anything else in the world, and I felt the same about him. Anything else, anything other that us and the babies . . . well, that was just details.

I pulled into the driveway, excited to see Edward's car already there. Even the man's car was sexy. I ran my hand over the hood as I passed by it on my way into the house wishing that the engine had still been warm, that I had gotten home sooner and not lost a single moment that I could have spent with him.

Kismet met me just inside the door, wagging her tail excitedly, but there was no trace of my husband. Since he didn't answer me, I looked over the back of the sofa thinking he might have sat down and fallen asleep but the sofa was empty, as was his favorite chair. Our bedroom had his discarded slacks and lab coat thrown over the chair, but no Edward.

"Where is he girl, where's Edward?" I asked Kismet while I held her muzzle in my hands and gently shook her head the way I knew she loved, scratching behind and underneath her ears. When she headed out on the back deck I realized the sliding glass doors had been left open and I walked out to admire the view. Realizing there was a body lying in the sand just down the beach, I changed into a lose fitting sundress and headed out to surprise him.

He was so gorgeous, his face completely peaceful as he slept. I had not seen that much lately with all the stupidity caused by Jessica and I was reluctant to disturb him. I sat beside him in the sand, admiring the long, lean planes of his chest with just a smattering of hair creating a faint line to his belly button, then growing thicker and darker as the fine bronze covering led down under the waistband of his board shorts. They were slung so low on his hips that more than would be considered polite was showing. His ankles were crossed and one of his hands was over the front of his shorts cupping his lower stomach in the most delicious way.

Though his shoulders were broad and muscled and his arms were chiseled from hours of lifting weights on our deck, the most attractive feature was still his face. Edward's face was something I could get lost in for hours on end. His tousled hair blew slightly in the breeze as he lay there, his long eyelashes resting gently against the tops of his cheeks and his lips . . . God, his lips . . . full and soft and just irresistible. I lay on my side and scooted against his body, well, as close as the twins allowed anyway. I gently kissed his neck at the same time my hand found its way under the waistband of his shorts, stroking his flaccid body and holding him, feeling it's softness. It would only be an moment before my fingers would no longer be able to encompass his girth as he hardened instantly at my touch.

"Mmmnn . . . ," was the only sound he made as he nuzzled his cheek into my face. It was adorable when he responded like this even though he was still sleeping. There was o one else to be seen up or down the beach, and the sun was low on the horizon as I continued to stroke him, loosening his shorts to expose him to me. Edward's self assured and cocky attitude was sometimes unjustified, but not when it came to his dick. To say he was well endowed was an understatement and I could not help but reflexively let my tongue moisten my lower lip as I looked at him in the fading light.

I struggled to my feet, trying my best not to wake him as I stepped a leg over him so that I was straddling his hips and slowly lowered myself onto him. As pregnant as I was, it was no small feet and I was grateful for all the walks and runs up and down the beach over the last few years that had left my legs strong and toned. I sat, feeling him against me before I rose slightly and took him in, sheathing him totally inside my body as I watched his eyes open and start to focus, his mind realizing what was happening.

"Bella . . . ," he uttered in a whisper as his hands stroked up my knees to my hips as we both enjoyed the familiar feeling of being so intimately connected.

I bent down carefully for only a moment and softly kissed his lips as I spoke softly to him, "How was your day?"

"As of right now, it was the best day ever," he smiled, rocking his hips as I started to move on him. The sounds of the waves, the smell of the sea and the setting sun coupled with how the light danced in his eyes and his body molded to mine, rock hard yet gentle with me . . . it was too much. I came almost instantly, taking him with me as we cried out together.

It wasn't possible to lie forward and kiss him and relax with him, and he knew. He gently rolled us over onto our sides and kissed me, hugging me to him as he caressed my swollen breasts and played with the nipples, sucking them into his mouth in a way that always made my back arch and a moan escape my lips.

"You can wake me like that anytime, wife," he said softly, his lips never leaving my skin.

He seemed so needy, shaken almost.

"Are you okay, husband? You're not letting this morning get to you, are you?" I chastised.

"No . . . no, I'm not," he whispered in between kisses. "When I left the hospital to do my errands I stopped on the road to help a woman with a flat. and it turned out to be Jessica."

I looked at his face for a long minute, trying to decide why that would have gotten to him so, wondering if she came on to him or shouted at him, but what I asked was, "Was she not grateful for the help?"

"She was," he answered, shrugging his shoulders slightly as a pained expression crossed his face, "She had cut her hand on some metal sticking out from the wheel or something so I cleaned and bandaged it for her and made her sit in my car with the ac on before she passed out from the heat." He looked at me as though pleading with me to understand, "She didn't look good. Bella, so after I changed the tire I followed her home to make sure she got there safely. I just couldn't leave her there with the baby, something could have happened to it and I would never have forgiven myself."

"Of course you couldn't leave her without helping her, Edward. I wouldn't expect you to," I told him. He seemed to immediately relax, apparently he had thought I would be upset with him for doing something for her.

"Edward, I know it's not your baby. I believe you. You would be concerned with any baby . . . I know that. Please don't worry that I doubt you, I don't. I will always believe you, husband, we promised each other that," I reminded him in between kisses.

He looked at me as though the weight of the world lifted from his shoulders.

"Let's get you in the house so I can have you naked, baby . . . now," he said insistently, scrambling to his feet and grabbing both my hands to help me up. He walked/ran to the house as fast as I could waddle, closing the glass doors and pulling my dress over my head in an instant. I was naked underneath it, of course, and his eyes widened. His shorts were off in an instant and he held me to him, one arm holding me to him and the other on my rear, pulling me impossibly close to him as I played with my favorite hair at the nape of his neck and grasping his length with the other unoccupied hand. There were no words between us as we held and caressed each other, both of us noticing as the babies kicked hard enough for him to feel them against his stomach.

"I think our babies are starting to want out, or at least to have something to play with," I teased. I would have fun with this and get him to play, to lighten all this negative stuff that was going on around us, dragging us in.

"That's it! A moment ago they had you for a toy to play with in there, and now you've taken it from them. You need to give it back!" I fussed. He chuckled, but didn't stop kissing me.

"I will happily make love to my wife," Edward said as he lifted me into his arms, his lips never leaving mine . . . "I will even fuck my wife if she requests it," he told me as he laid me on our bed and pulled my butt to the edge . . . "but I will not, repeat _not _stick my dick in there with the idea that the babies are playing with it," he said, a smile on his face as he knelt by the bed between my legs. "Now," he said as his hands spread my legs wide before him leaving fiery trails from my knees to my core. His fingers separated my folds and stroked me expertly with just the right speed and pressure to drive me absolutely wild.

"Take it back," he said playfully, obviously enjoying teasing me.

"Wh . . .what?" I tried to form words other than moans with my mouth as his fingers continued.

"Take it back that my dick doubles as a child's toy," he said, chiding me with that crooked smile of his covering his face. He watched me. I was unable to remain still, writhing on the bed and grasping at the covers as he continued to taunt and tease me.

"Take it back . . . ," he said, blowing his warm breath across me and kissing my thighs, his nose rubbing back and forth across the soft curls there.

"Edward, I need you," I managed to say, but it didn't satisfy him.

"I know you do, baby, and I need you . . . ." he said in a low husky voice. "Now, take it back," he whispered as he took my clit into his mouth, rolling his tongue around it and gently sucking. I came unglued. Absolutely unglued. I could barely remember my name, much less what it was he wanted me to say as my back continued to arch off the bed of its own accord, in spite of the added weight of my babies.

"You're so stubborn . . ."

I heard him, but I couldn't respond . . . but I had to . . . but I couldn't . . . I had to have him . . . now!"

"Anything, anything you say," I managed to say as I listened to his quiet chuckle.

"My husband's giant cock is not a children's toy. Say it," he managed to say with only a small edge of laughter to his voice.

"Giant cock is not a toy!" I all but screamed as he sheathed himself in me, pounding in and out exactly as I wanted. He rarely agreed to this, to not being excruciatingly gentle, but he was giving me what I wanted . . . what I needed, and it felt so damned good. He knew exactly which buttons to push and when, as I did with his body.

We were sweaty and out of breath and way over excited as he tried to form words to say to me.

"Now?"

"Now!"

He reached between us and squeezed and I came so hard that I was afraid for a moment that I would force my babies out from the pressure. Every single muscle in my body contracted and I screamed in ecstasy. The sound Edward made was not a scream, it was not exactly like calling out my name . . . he roared, growled really as he came, several streams hitting inside me with enough force that I felt them individually. I loved this man beyond all reason, and our lovemaking reminded me of it every single day. After a few minutes he crawled up beside me, pulling me to the pillows and hugged me to him. Dinner was forgotten, as was the open door to our house and Kismet's dinner. We were lost in each other and completely satiated as we slept.

Kismet's cold nose against my thighs woke me several hours later. It was extremely early in the wee hours of the morning and Edward was still fast sleep. The growls coming from my stomach and Kismet's insistence got me up to feed her and I decided to prepare an enormous breakfast to share with my husband. I even went as far as to turn on the grill and cook small steaks and sausages to go with the eggs, biscuits and homefried potatoes that I made. The coffee had just finished brewing when he walked naked into the kitchen, his eyes half closed still from sleep.

"What's all this?" he asked, his chin resting on my shoulder with his arms around me.

"We kind of skipped dinner last night and I was hungry," I told him, somewhat embarrassed now that I was looking over all the food that I had cooked.

"Well, we had better get started in we're going to eat all this and still have time to play before I go to the hospital," he said quietly, kissing my neck.

"Do you ever get enough, husband?" I asked, turning in his arms to face him.

"Never."

"Good, me either," I giggled. He started to walk back to the bedroom and I called after him, knowing he was on his way to get something to wear.

"No. Naked breakfast!"

"Bella, you're not naked," he said as I pulled his tee shirt off over my head, apparently surprising him.

"It's dangerous to cook naked, Edward. You're a doctor, you should know that," I laughed, teasing him. "I thought it ws only dangerous for men to use ovens naked," he laughed, coming back to sit down at the counter with me.

I had indeed cooked too much. It took us the better part of an hour to consume all the food and my belly was even more stuffed than usual. Edward could hardly move from being so full as well. We did the dishes and headed into the shower, still somewhat sandy from last evenings adventure on the beach.

The tile bench at the back of the shower had become even more handy the last couple of months as I spread my legs further, my palms flat against the tile wall as Edward entered me. His arms were wrapped possessively around me, caressing a breast with one hand and stroking where we were joined with the other. Pur lovemaking was gentle and loving now, not the hard thrusting sex from earlier but a steady rocking in and out. I had no idea why I had wasted years of being married to him and not experiencing this. I should never have left New York, never have left him . . . and it would never happen again.

He dressed and tucked me back into bed as he headed off to the hospital, asking me where I wanted to have lunch and reminding me to get enough rest and that he loved me, as if there was any question in my mind after the last few hours.

I drifted off to sleep thinking of my babies, my husband, and how very lucky I was to have them.

~oooOooo~

**EPOV**

The day was uneventful, thank God. I needed uneventful at the hospital. I had thankfully not run into Jessica all day and had a pleasant lunch with Bella, managing to leave with her as my patient census was way down.

I had a list that had grown to be quite long on the fridge at home, Bella called it my _honey do_ list and just the name was so damned cute that I would do it for that reason alone. I worked on projects, putting things together for the babies and making small changes to the cottage while she worked in our office, trying to finish a chapter before her self imposed deadline. I managed to annoy her somewhat, slipping in behind her as she sat at her computer and stealing kisses. She acted like I was bothering her but in reality I knew that she loved it. I loved it, too. I really fucking hated going to the hospital every day. I enjoyed the babies, yes. I enjoyed the fact that I could ease their suffering and in some cases even save their lives . . . but I hated the routine, I hated the drama, and most of all . . . I hated being away from Bella.

I joined her in the office, firing up my computer to log on to some files at the hospital and check our stock investments. I had become quite good over the last few years at predicting trends in the market as well as up and coming companies, and I had invested a huge amount of money in a little known start up company just last week with the idea that they would be making a monumental announcement of acquisition at their quarterly press conference today. I saw the announcement, just as I expected and clicked over to our portfolio. I watched wide eyed as the numbers increased and the graph on the chart rose.

"Bella," I said softly, then more urgently. She rolled her chair over and put her arm around my neck, asking what I wanted and looking at me expectantly as I gaped at the screen and gestured for her to look at it. It was a lot even for me. We had made over a million five in the last day. A million five hundred thousand dollars, and it showed no signs of decreasing any time soon. We both watched in amazement as the numbers climbed and I checked out all the trends and graphs and indicators. Nothing, nothing that would indicate that it was not going to continue upwards.

"Sweetheart, can we please sell this and let me quit working for awhile, at least till the babies go to school? I can't stand being away from you and we could wait for them to start walking and talking and travel the world together. Come on, I just want to stay home with you or go on book tours or do whatever," I whined like a petulant child. Fuck, I wouldn't even be able to stand one of the kids on the pediatric floor whining like I had just done. She laughed at me. Not a small, delicate laugh but an all out guffaw.

"Edward! Cut back a day or two and take a few months at a time off, especially after we have the babies, but you need to keep your practice and your education current! You have worked so hard for it and I'm so proud of you. Your Dad needs you there on staff."

She was right, I knew that as I tucked my face into her shoulder and nuzzled her. I didn't know how long this sappy, mushy gooey lovemaking all the time stage of our marriage would last and I just wanted to enjoy each and every moment. I had missed too much and it now meant everything to me. We spent the late afternoon watching the stocks, cooking and enjoying dinner on the deck and then snuggling on the sofa watching old movies before going to bed, making love and ending the evening with my customary "Goodnight wife," the last thing to roll off my lips before sleep took me.

I was up before Bella the next morning, excited by the quiet day at the hospital as well as relaxing at home yesterday. I took her breakfast in bed and kissed her lips to wake her, reminding her that I really wanted to eat some where outside the hospital today and to let me know where to meet her.

"Just where do you think you are going?" she asked in somewhat of a huff. I was taken aback by her attitude. I had gotten up, showered, dressed and brought her breakfast in bed before bending down to kiss her goodbye as I left for work.

She moved the tray from her lap and rose to walk on her knees to where I stood by the bed, grabbing my tie in one hand and my dick in the other. Fuck. I hadn't made love to her and I ws dressed and ready to leave. What the hell had I been thinking . . . I would have to play along to cover my thoughtlessness.

"I was letting you sleep, wife. Do you need something else?" I asked, with a raised eyebrow.

She didn't answer but slid to sit on the edge of the bed pulling me to her and unbuckling my belt.

"Yes, I need something," she said as she unzipped my pants and had my dick in her mouth before I fully realized what it was she was doing.

"Oh fuck, Bella. Holy . . . ummn . . .shit . . . Bella!"

I couldn't make a coherent sentence as moved her tongue over my tip and I became rock hard and erect for her. I held her shoulder, one hand tangled in her hair as she drove me absolutely wild, encouraging me to rock into her, to literally fuck her mouth. I had no idea how she knew to do this, she had only ever done this with me but damn was she good at it. It was like no other feeling and I felt the familiar tension start to grow in my stomach and legs as my balls started to constrict in her hand. She moved her mouth of of me, keeping me on the edge and pulled on my tie as she lay back on the bed. It took me a moment to figure out what she wanted, and another to decide to give it to her. She had me on all fours straddling her body as she lay back on the bed, and she continued to push and pull me till I had moved up far enough for her to again take me into her mouth.

I was fully dressed, right down to my shoes, on all fours above my naked wife as she raked her teeth and lips up and down my dick, encouraging me to actually fuck her mouth. I had never ever done this before and it felt so wrong, so . . . just wrong to use her like this.

"Baby, I don't want to hurt you. Let go and I'll take these clothes off and make love to you sweetheart . . . Bella . . ."

She was relentless. She sucked all of me into her mouth, the head of my dick passing the back of her throat as she drove me wild. I thrust in and out hoping and praying she would not let me hurt her and praying she never ever stopped. It was fucking unbelievable what she was doing to me. I felt not only my balls constrict but my toes curl as I came into he mouth screaming her name and holding on to the far edge of the mattress like it was a lifeline, hoping I didn't rip it apart. She licked and sucked till there was nothing left and I rolled to my side. She scooted up next to me and held me as I was completely incoherent and unable to move.

"You forgot my dessert, husband. Don't let it happen again!" she said as she smacked me on the rear and got up to go and have a shower, her breakfast spilled and forgotten.

"Did you just, did I . . .?"

I lay there on the bed, fully clothed with my dick hanging out, shocked and trying to make heads or tales of what had just happened. Damn I loved that woman. My wife just used me for sex. I had, at her insistence, literally fucked her mouth, fully dressed while she lay beneath me naked and pregnant with my children.

I was sure as hell selling that stock and arranging with Carlisle to cut back my hours at the hospital even farther than I already had. Being pregnant was making her even hornier than I usually was and that was just not something I was willing to miss out on!


	23. Chapter 23 Beaten

******Disclaimer:** All the Twilight stuff belongs to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. I'm just playing in her sandbox.

**Author's Note:** For all of you who have been so very kind in not yelling at me when real life insisted that it needed my time, here is an early update, it might even be an extra!

**Chapter 23 ** Beaten**  
**

_"Did you just, did I . . .?"_

**EPOV**

I finished my last notation and medication order, closing the file and standing to leave. I couldn't get this morning out of my mind. After Bella got off the bed and went to the shower,I just lay there, unable to move for awhile before I cleaned up the spilled juice, placing the rest of her breakfast on the night side table in hopes of her eating at least some of it. I changed the sheets and made up the bed before heading into the hospital, but not before I wrote a note to leave on the breakfast tray.

_Wife,_

_If that is my punishment for forgetting to bring you dessert, _

_I will never, ever remember to bring dessert again._

_Your Husband,_

_E_

I knew my face was covered with an ear to ear grin just thinking about it.

The last two days had been uneventful at the hospital, the babies I tended to were all progressing nicely and there had been no emergencies. I made my way to the Nicu after seeing my patients on the floor.

"Morning Angela," I greeted my favorite nurse, "How are my babies today?"

"Dr. Cullen," she said turning to me to greet me., She had one of my small patients in her arms, just cradling him. He had been in the Nicu for three weeks now, and touch was important where babies were concerned. I walked over and held my stethoscope to his chest, looking at his features and eyes.

"He's doing well. You're going to loose your favorite little playmate here in a week or two but his Mom will be glad to have him home," I told her, smiling.

"I have no problem with that, doctor. He needs his Mom even more than she needs him, and I think she'll do well with him. She listens to advice and acts on it, so he'll be safe with her," Angela shared.

"Good. Always good to hear, the parents willingness to listen is such an important part of the care of these little ones," I agreed. "So, how've you been? You haven't been over to the house in a while, do I need to remind Bella that we do have friends to hang out with?"

She laughed, "I think Bella is quite content just _hanging out _with you, Doctor, and you are too."

"Well, I'll never deny that," I chuckled and I'm sure the smile that flooded my face gave everything away. I laughed like an idiot remembering how I must have looked this morning, fully dressed and rendered utterly spent and immovable on my bed with my dick hanging out.

"Hey, hey . . . ." she said, her head turning to the side and her palm in the air facing me, "I didn't mean to get you remembering your x-rated home life while you're at work!"

"I know, I know," I laughed. "Sometimes I just can't help it! Tell you what, let me check with Bella, but would you be up for another afternoon barbecue on the beach this Saturday?"

"You check with your honey and I'll check with mine and get back to you tomorrow, sound good?"

"Sure," I said putting away my pen and preparing to leave. I'm just about done here and Bella and I are meeting Carlisle and Esme for lunch . . . it's our usual on Thursdays."

"Have fun, doctor," she told me as I walked out of the unit and headed up to see if Carlisle was about ready. Might as well ride over with him to meet the girls if he was ready to go.

"Jane, good morning!" I said as I walked into my Dad's office.

"Morning, Edward. Are you doing well?" she asked as she buzzed my Dad to let him know that I was here.

"Excellent indeed, Jane. Beautiful day, amazing wife, patients are progressing nicely and my twins are healthy. Couldn't be better," I shared with her.

"Well, you certainly are in a great mood!" she said, surprised.

"You aren't canceling lunch, are you?" my Dad asked as he came out of his office.

"No, just thought we might ride together to meet the girls, that's all, Dad," I answered.

"Alright then, let's go," he said as he put his lab coat on the back of one of the chairs in the waiting room and gestured for me to do the same, "Jane, we'll be back in an hour and a half or so. Take any messages, will you?"

"Sure Dr. Cullen, see you then, have a nice lunch," Jane called after us as we exited the door and walked down the hospital corridor together.

Bella was already at the restaurant with Esme. They had gotten a quiet table and ordered drinks for us before we arrived. We both greeted our wives and kissed them before sliding into the booth beside them

"Edward, Bella here was just telling me that you two have yet to go and buy baby furniture. Tell me that isn't true . . . surely she's kidding," Esme questioned.

"No, it's true, Neither of us has been willing to drag ourselves away from the privacy of home long enough to shop," I told her, kissing my wife on the forehead and hugging her to me, "It doesn't matter, the babies won't notice and we'll have the room put together long before we actually need it. We have bassinets in our room for them and that's all we'll need at first." She looked appalled.

"Edward!" she literally gasped, then collecting herself she took a deep breath. "Fine," she said more resolutely. "Bella and I can shop while you're at work. That way you can't complain about missed alone time . . . either of you," she said as she glared at us, daring either of us to object. "If we buy something that Edward doesn't like, I'm certain he will tell us, dear."

"Looks like that's a win for the grandmother, Edward. I have a feeling you're going to have to take care that these children don't become spoiled little ones with your mother and Alice around!" Dad laughed.

"No, no spoiled babies I'm afraid . . . just over dressed pampered ones," Bella laughed, "You know that Alice treats clothing as disposable as most people do diapers." Now that I thought about it, I realized that she was right. My sister almost never wore something the second or third time as far as I knew.

"Well, we'll just have to try and reign Alice in, won't we. Besides, I have a feeling she'll be occupied by other things soon enough," Esme said, her eyes twinkling.

"No!" Bella gasped. Dad and I just looked at each other, shrugging our shoulders and waiting to find out what the hell the girls were talking about. "You think he's really going to ask her?"

"I wouldn't be a bit surprised, dear. I think it's only a matter of time, and not much of that." Mom told her.

"Well, that'll help keep her out of our nursery, won't it!" Bella exclaimed.

I listened to the two of them go on about baby things and fucking shades of pastel colors and weddings and shit while I ate my lunch, as did my Dad. "Thanks for taking care of the schedule for me," I told him. He looked up at me, kind of like he hadn't understood. "Jessica," I elaborated.

"Oh, yes. No problem, son. She actually hasn't shown up for work for the last three days. Her attorney called early this morning, asking if I had any information about her. Apparently she skipped a meeting that they had set for Tuesday to discuss their proceedings and he was concerned."

"Well, that fucking explains why I had such a good week! I haven't seen her even once since I changed the damn tire for her."

Carlisle cocked his head to one side, "Tire?"

I explained that I had stopped, bandaged her hand and changed her tire and even that I had followed her the hell home to make sure that she made it safely. He just nodded his head, he knew it was the right thing to do . . . and he also knew it would have been the last thing I wanted to do.

"Well, I just love it that I at least get to see the two of you over lunch every Thursday," Esme told us, "I would love to see more of you though. How about a barbecue on Saturday?"

"Well, Mom, I actually suggested that Angela and her boyfriend come over Saturday afternoon and I haven't even talked to Bella about that yet," I said sheepishly as I looked at my wife.

"That's a great idea, Edward! We had such fun last time they were over. Let's invite Alice and Jasper, Emmet and Rosalie and your Mom and Dad as well and just have an even bigger party. It's so pretty out on the beach these days!"

"It's settled then. Mom, Dad . . . okay with you?" I asked.

"Sounds great, son, but no hogging the grill," Dad insisted. I knew that this would involve many conversations on the phone about who would bring what and who got to do what, but I was going to try my damnedest to leave all that up to Bella. I only really cared about the grill . . . and her.

Anyway, we said our goodbye's to our wives, mine significantly longer than his and closer to being rated _not for public_ viewing, and headed back to the hospital. Charlie was waiting there, outside Carlisle's office.

"Hi, Chief," I said when I saw him, and he mumbled a greeting in my direction.

"Afternoon, Carlisle," Charlie said, looking quite harshly at me, "Could I have a word with you?"

"Sure, Charlie. Would you like to step into my office?" Dad asked.

"Yes, thank you," he answered, then turning to me, "Edward, l could you wait for just a few minutes. I need to talk to you, too," he added.

"Sure. I'll be right here," I answered. They were gone for only a few moments, not giving Jane much time at all to scowl at me before they came back into the waiting area, my father's face flushed.

"Edward, do you know anything about Jessica Stanley's whereabouts?" Charlie asked.

"I looked first at his gruff face, then to my father's and back before I answered, cocking my head to one side, "No, should I?"

"When was the last time you saw her, son?" Charlie asked.

"I saw her on Monday here at the hospital, in fact we had something of an argument at the nurses station. On my way to do errands, I stopped and changed a flat tire for her and bandaged a cut on her hand. She looked overheated so I followed her car home to make sure she made it there before I left. Why?" I asked.

"You didn't get out of the car at her place?" Charlie asked.

"Hell no I didn't get out of the fucking car at her place. I have no business at her place, I was just worried about the baby with her pregnant and all and I followed to be sure she had been able to make the drive. Why the hell are you asking me about Jessica, anyway? Has she gone ahead with the law suit or something?" I asked.

"No, son. Someone beat the hell out of her. One of her friends called, wanting to know if there wasn't something I could do since no one had heard from her since Monday, so I went to her apartment and got the manager to open the door. She was lying in her bedroom with blood everywhere, Edward," the Chief told me.

"Is she here, is she being looked after?" I asked.

"Yes, the ambulance arrived an hour or so ago with her, and they have a baby doctor down there with her, too. It wouldn't be prudent for you to go near her, though," he told me. "From what I can tell, you may have been the last person to see her before she was beaten. I have to ask you . . . where were you after you followed her home on Monday?"

"I went home and walked on the beach to wait for Bella. She had a meeting with her editor, then joined me there. Charlie, you don't think I . . ."

"I don't think anything yet. I just need the facts. The doctor downstairs says she looks like she has been out more than a couple of days, severely dehydrated and all that. I'll have more questions for you later, just stay the hell away from anything to do with her for now, do you hear me?"

"I'm sure that Edward will avoid emergency at all costs, Charlie. Not to worry. He spends his time up on the Nicu floor, anyway. I'll check on Miss Stanleys' progress and keep you advised if you'd like," Carlisle offered.

"Good. that would be good, Carlisle. I hope to hell this all washed clean," he said looking directly at me, "It would kill my daughter if you were somehow involved in this, Edward."

"Chief, I swear to you, Jessica drove herself home, untouched by me except to bandage her hand that she had cut, and I never got out of my car at her apartment. I was there solely to make sure she hadn't passed out from the heat on the drive home, she had looked pale and overheated when she was trying to change the damned car tire. That's all."

"Well, glad to hear it, son. Let's hope she comes around and straightens this mess out quickly. Talk spreads like wildfire in a small town, you know," Charlie added.

I flopped down into one of the waiting room chairs.

"Great. Just what I needed. I finally get Bella back and we're having twins and then all this stupid mess with Jessica." I looked up at my father, "I had nothing to do with Jessica getting hurt, Dad. You know that, right?"

"Yes, yes of course, son. You are just the most likely target. Is there someone else she didn't get along with that you know of?" he asked.

"I didn't fucking know her well enough to know, Dad! I have no fucking clue who her friends are or what she does with her time. I was just waiting till the baby was born so that I could prove I wasn't the father, it's my only interest in her, just to prove that I wasn't with her and the baby isn't mine."

"You're certainly sure of yourself on that, Edward," my Dad said somewhat questioningly. I noticed Jane look intently to me for an answer as well.

"There are a few things I'm totally sure of Dad, one of them is where the fuck my dick has and has not been . . . and it has never been anywhere near her!" I said as I stormed past him and out of his office, down the hall and into my office, slamming the door. I paced back and forth till I thought enough time had passed that Bella would be home and not still driving, then I called her. I wanted this to come from me and not have her hear about Jessica's accident from anyone else.

"Edward, surely my Dad doesn't think . . ."

"He sure as hell acted like he thought I had beat the hell out of her, Bella. I just can't believe all this shit."

"Has she come around yet? When she does, I'm sure she can tell them who did it, Edward," Bella suggested.

"Yea. I guess we just have to wait," I agreed. "I have a few more stops to make on the floor, then I'll be home, sweetheart. Do you need me to pick up anything?" I asked.

"No, I have everything you need right here, sweetheart," she said softly.

"You sure as hell do, wife., I'll be there shortly."

I went back out to the floor and checked on my patients, stopping by the Nicu to speak to Angela.

"Looks like we're on for Saturday," I told her, "Bella is excited and even asked Jasper and Alice and my Mom and Dad over to barbecue with us."

"Great. That sounds like fun. I thought you might cancel after I heard about Jessica," Angela said looking at me questioningly.

"Why would anything to do with Jessica Stanley affect any of my plans, Angela?" I asked, wondering where she was going with this.

"No, I suppose you wouldn't. I just thought . . ."

"Not you, too! I had nothing to do with whatever the hell happened to Jessica. Short of being concerned about the baby, and only because I am concerned about _any baby_, I couldn't care less about her. She ruined our friendship when she lied about our relationship," I explained.

"I can see that," Angela said, changing the subject, "Can I bring anything on Saturday?"

"Just yourselves and your swim suits. We have everything else, and I can't wait to have a relaxing afternoon with all of you," I added. "I'm heading home. Nothing more I can get into here, I'm afraid." I joked. I turned to let myself out of the unit just as my pager went off. I stopped there to return the call and stopped cold. The ER wanted me STAT. I quickly called Carlisle and asked him to meet me down there. I had no intention of getting caught in the middle of anything to do with Jessica, and I didn't know what the legal ramifications would be.

It was everything I feared. The call had been about Jessica. Her doctor wanted a consult about the baby. The dehydrated state they had found her in, coupled with the blood loss had sent her into shock and the babies heart rate was slow and faint. They wanted an opinion from me as to the meds for the baby and if we should consider taking it. Shit. I couldn't just walk away from a baby that was in trouble . . . and this one was in a fucking serious battle for its very life at this point.

"Edward, you can't," Carlisle said, reading the lab results and chart as I did.

"I have no choice. They have no idea what to do and I know exactly what to do, Dad. Who ever's kid that is, it doesn't deserve to die just because it' s mother is being a stupid bitch," I said . . . a little too loudly. Just get another doctor in here, a competent one, to look over my shoulder and see everything I do, okay?" I asked.

Carlisle hurried off and I started barking orders. Three hours later, the baby was stable . . . it's Mom not my concern, other than the incubator she provided for the baby.

I was being congratulated from all sides, one nurse that was a particular Jessica supporter even asking if it felt good to save my own baby for a change other than a stranger.

"Let me make myself completely clear, again," I told the entire staff in the room with me, "This is not my baby. I have never had sex with Jessica Stanley. Got it? Never, not even once. I would help a baby no matter who the parents are and you all should know that about me by now," I virtually roared, threw my lab coat on the chair and stalked out of the hospital.

Bella was waiting for me at home, my Dad no doubt having let her know what had been happening. I needed her. I needed her smell and the feel of her hair and her arms around me.

"Hi," I said as I held her to me and softly kissed her lips.

"Hi, "she said in return, gently scratching my scalp and playing with her favorite hair at the nape of my neck, "Long day?"

"Yea, you could say that." I pulled at my tie as I walked to our bedroom to change, I wanted shorts and no shirt and Bella . . . not necessarily in that order. She came in to watch, leaning against the door as I stripped off my clothing and threw it on the chair. I threw myself back on the bed, starring at the ceiling for a moment to just clear my head as I felt her crawl up my body and rest her head on my shoulder.

"I love you."

It was all she needed to say and all I needed to hear.

We woke up in the middle of the night and I was sure she was cold. Our heads were at the foot of the bed, effectively keeping us from pulling down the covers and getting warm during the night. I gently lifter her and placed her head on her pillow as I covered her. I checked on what she had been cooking in the kitchen and thankfully, she had turned it off before coming to check on me. I put the now left overs away and wiped down the kitchen, loading the dishwasher in the process and feeding Kismet before climbing back into bed beside her for the night.

I didn't work again till Monday and I had never been so grateful for a four day work week than I was today, though I supposed I might get a call for a consult or two, especially about Jessica Stanley's baby. I had stopped her labor, but it didn't mean that the baby was out of the woods yet. It had endured a lot of stress and trauma during her beating and subsequent unconscious state for two or three days. It was a wonder either of them was alive. You had to wonder what type of a monster could do something like that to a woman, much less a pregnant woman. I had rarely ever seen anyone beaten that badly. Her face was swollen to the point that she was virtually unrecognizable, and hitting a baby before it was even born . . . I hoped I never got my hands on someone who had done that because I would probably be in jail for doing the same thing to them.

I felt something on my face, scratching through my hair and realized that Bella was running her nails through my hair. I raised my head and turned it toward where I thought she was before opening my eyes.

"Good morning, wife," I greeted her sleepily.

"Good morning, husband," she said just before kissing my lips.

"You missed your dinner last night, I thought you might be hungry," she said as I scooted to sit up in bed and lean against the headboard. She had brought me breakfast in bed, everything I loved from pancakes and orange juice to eggs and bacon with coffee.

"How did I ever get lucky enough to marry you, sweetheart? This looks amazing. Thank you," I told her, wiping the sleep from my eyes. "Are you eating with me?"

"I am. Let me go get my plate, I'll be right back," she said as she bounced off the bed and through the door, only to reappear moments later with her own plate of pancakes and eggs with orange juice. She was just so damned cute dressed in my boxers and an old tee shirt, I had no idea how she expected me to just sit there and eat.

"Have you been up long, wife? I didn't mean to sleep and leave you alone. I hate wasting any awake time of yours by not being with you," I pouted.

"Shhhuh. Eat your breakfast and I might give you dessert," she said playfully, the gleam in her eye giving her away. I was rock hard instantly, remembering yesterday morning when I had forgotten to bring her dessert. Damn. I hoped she was serious.

Turns out I had slept till almost ten in the morning and she swore she had slept till nine with me. She needed her rest, carrying my babies was hard work at this stage of her pregnancy. We made love as always. It was glorious as always.

"Want to go into town and get the food for the barbecue tomorrow, wife?"

"Good idea. Emmett and Rose haven't called yet, should we check with them to see if they're coming?"

"Sure. I forgot all about asking Jake and Leah and the kids. If we're having the whole gang over we can't leave them out," I said as she nodded and I reached for my phone.

"Jake, what's up man?" I asked.

"Same ole same ole dude, how about you?" Jake answered.

"Bella and I thought we'd cook out on the beach tomorrow afternoon, want to come?" I asked.

I heard him ask Leah in the background, he was home for some reason even though it was the middle of the day. "Love to come, bro. Middle of the day?" he asked.

"Yep, same as always. Kids doing well?" I asked.

"Bro, you would know. They would have been in to see you if they weren't," he laughed.

"Right, right. I forget I'm the doctor," I laughed, "See you tomorrow buddy."

"Hey, Bella. Let's invite your Mom and Dad. Your Dad was great to me at their July 4th cookout and I'd like to start having them around more," I said as I handed her the phone.

"He'll be at work you know," she said as she called him. "Chief Swan, please. Yes. No, this is his daughter," she told whoever the receptionist was. "Dad, hi! Fine, and you? No, I was calling to see if you and Mom wanted to come over tomorrow afternoon for a barbecue on the beach. Yea. His parents are coming and Jake and Leah as well as some other folks. Come on, it'll be fun. i know he hogs the grill, Dad, but so do you at your house. Alright, see you tomorrow. bye."

"They're coming. This should be fun! Let's go stock up!" she said, her naked body bounding over towards the bathroom to shower and dress.

"If you continue to look that cute and your chest bounces like that, don't fucking hold me responsible for what happens. We will never ever make it in to the store, though, I can tell you that," I promised her as I stepped into the shower with her.

~oooOooo~

**Charlie POV**

"You read the report, Chief?"

I heard him ask me, but I ignored him, too busy thinking about the situation.

"Yea, I read it, Lee."

"Well, you want me to go drag him the fuck in here for questioning?"

"Lee, in the first place there would be no need to drag him anywhere, and in the second place he's not going anywhere. We need to sit on this one and hope she wakes up to tell us exactly who did this to her."

"Chief, come on. His prints are all over the tire iron used to beat the hell out of her - her blood is all over it, his skin was under her fingernails and that kid saw him driving in her apartment complex on Monday after fighting with her in front of who knows how many witnesses and threatening her at the hospital."

"I know all that, Lee. He also told me himself that he changed her tire, bandaged her hand and followed her home to make sure she got there. There are two sides to everything. I'll get his lab coat and we can test it for blood. If the scratches on his arm were done in front of everyone at the hospital when she grabbed him, then it explains his DNA under her fingernails, that no longer comes into play when she was beaten. Let it rest, time is on our side on this one, Lee," I told him.

"And don't go running your mouth to the entire town. Crime scene details are not to leave this station house, understand?" I asked.

No response.

"Understand?" I asked more insistently.

"Yes Sir, I understand. But I don't like it. You know he was a cocky son of a bitch when he lived here before he went off and became a doctor and all and he was the only one with that James guy when he supposedly fell off the cliff down at La Push. I know he's your son in law and all but . . ."

I jumped up so fast that my chair flew back as I smacked both hands flat down on my desk and shouted at the boy. "His being my son in law has nothing to do with this. I would handle this investigation just the same, regardless. Don't you dare accuse me of anything unless you're prepared to back it yo, you hear? Now, out on patrol. Go."

I watched him turn and leave. I was going to have to try even harder to be impartial. I could do this, right?


	24. Chapter 24  Accused

******Disclaimer:** All the Twilight stuff belongs to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. I'm just playing in her sandbox.

**Chapter 24 Conflict**

_"I know he's your son in law and all but . . ."_

**CharliePOV**

Huh. Son of a bitch. I was going to have to try even harder to be impartial. I could do this, right? I took out the file and looked it over. Facts, just the facts.

**Jessica Stanley **

-last seen leaving work around 3pm on Monday by co-workers

-flat tire changed by Edward Cullen who then followed her home to her apartment complex

_ seen by one of his patients at apartment complex around 4pm_

Evidence

-Severely Beaten with hands and blunt instrument

_ tire iron with fingerprints and her blood on it found at the scene_

_ Edward Cullen offered that he had changed tire for her on Monday_

_ fingerprints taken from her apartment, no matches - yet_

-Tissue under victims nails

_ could be explained when she grabbed Edward Cullen's wrist in front of witnesses_

Motive

-accused of breach of engagement, fathering unborn child and use of position to elicit sex

-potentially being sued by victim for sexual harassment and breach of engagement

_ denies that he used position for sex, denies that he ever asked her to marry him_

-observed by multiple staff members in argument and shouting Monday morning at hospital

Opportunity

-he was at her apartment complex around the time she was assaulted

_ Edward Cullen readily admitted to being at her apartment complex Monday afternoon_

Alibi

-none

I guess if I had this much evidence against anyone else I would at least run them in for questioning. I had already talked informally to him in Carlisle Cullen's office. I was going to have to get prints and a blood sample. I hated to do it, but it was my job. I just hoped to hell that Bella understood and that the girl woke up and told us who hurt her . . . and that it was not my son-in-law. Might as well get it over with . . .

"Hello, Edward. Good, good. Huh. Look, son, thing is this, I'm going to need prints and a blood sample from you. Okay, okay. For how long? Fine. No, I'll look up the file and you can come by on your way home. Yea. Okay. I hope so, too, son. Bye."

Well, he took that better than I expected. Huh. Fingerprints on file from when he was younger . . . yep, there they are. Just like he said . . . he had grabbed the tire iron at least once, that was for sure. Damn. That girl needed to wake up at least long enough for me to talk to her.

"Lee, I'm going out. If you need me, I'll be at the hospital trying to get a statement from the Stanley girl," I told him.

"I thought she was unconscious, Chief?" Lee asked.

"She is, but she has to wake up eventually, even for a minute, and I plan to be there," I told him as I grabbed my hat off the rack and headed out the door. Much as I may not have liked him in the beginning,I didn't think my son-in-law capable of such a thing, but I would need to prove it.

It was a Friday morning and I just happened to think - it sounded as though Edward had been at the hospital when I had spoken to him and he never worked Fridays unless there was an emergency of some sort. Huh.

I parked the cruiser and walked into the hospital, going directly to the ICU to check on Jessica. There was a crowd of people around her bed, nurses, technicians and what appeared to be three doctors . . . and one of them was Edward. Edward! What the hell? Had I not told the boy to stay away from her, completely away? The crowd appeared to be putting away instruments and disbanding somewhat as I arrived, Edward and the other two doctors huddled at the foot of the bed going over some paperwork of some sort, must be her chart or something. I asked one of the nurses what was going on and she said that Jessica had coded several times this morning and that there were concerns about the viability of the infant.

"Dr. Cullen, can I speak with you for a minute?" I asked as I approached them.

"Chief, good morning. What can I do for you?" he asked, examining my features and suddenly becoming tense, "Is everything alright? Has something happened to Bella?"

"No, no, son. Nothing's wrong that I know of," I told him as I led him to a more private place to talk.

"Edward, what the hell are you doing? You can't be that baby's doctor, son. She says you're the father, she was going to sue you and now . . . you're a suspect in the assault against her, Edward. The only suspect," I told him, trying to hide the anger and resentment I had toward him, "It's a conflict of interest and I can't allow it."

"I respect that, Chief. I do," he told me, his chest out a little further and standing a little straighter as he spoke. I had rarely seen such a determined, defiant look on anyone's face - other than my daughter - as he continued, "That baby though, it did nothing to anyone. Regardless of who she says fucked who, it deserves the best chance we can give it at surviving and the best chance is me."

"It doesn't matter, Edward, you can't . . ."

It was at that second in time that all hell broke loose, at least in the area where they had the Stanley girl. Monitors were going off and people were running, Seemed like organized chaos though, and Edward, he was right in the middle of it, barking all kinds of orders along with the girls doctor as they had her on a gurney and flew past me. The double doors marked authorized personnel only that they headed through closed with an ominous swish of air and a click. I don't know why it struck me that hard, I had been in hospitals following victims as well as prisoners before, it just seemed to strike a note this time.

Carlisle came almost literally running through the halls and joined the others behind those doors.

"What's happening!" I asked the nurse at the counter. She had just walked back over after straightening up the room they had just left and turning off all sorts of machines.

"Surgery. The baby flat lined and they're going to attempt to deliver it by cesarean section."

Shit.

I waited outside those doors for well over two hours before Carlisle came back out. He was wearing a hat and scrubs and those cloth coverings on his shoes, so I figured he had been in on the surgery. He didn't look good.

"Charlie."

"Carlisle."

"Jessica is hanging in there, her condition is critical, that hasn't changed of course, she hasn't regained consciousness." He looked as though there were a hundred other things he wanted to say, wanted to tell me. I understood that there was that confidentiality thing, but I was acting in an official capacity here and I needed to be kept informed. I was just about to let him know that I wanted to be updated on her condition when Edward came out and I paused to look his way as he came towards us. He was dressed the same as Carlisle, only his face was even more distraught, if that's possible.

"Carlisle, I need to be kept informed. God forbid something happens to this girl the charges could be increased, upped from assault you know. I just don't want to be caught unaware here, if she is conscious even for a moment I need to talk to her. We need her to tell us who did this to her because right now I only have one suspect and why the hell are you allowing Edward near her as her doctor?" I asked, realizing that Carlisle could easily order him to have no contact.

"Well, Charlie, I'd be happy to keep you informed if there were any chance she would wake up any time soon, but I just don't see it happening right away. When the injuries are this severe, especially to the head, the body tends to protect itself using an unconscious state while it heals and we further that by the use of drugs. She needs time to recover before we wake her up," he continued. "As for Edward being her doctor, he is a pediatric surgeon, Charlie, he specializes in babies not adults. He was hired by the hospital to care for critically ill babies, not adults. He is the best qualified physician here to deal with what that baby needs and I have assigned another doctor to shadow him so that there can be no discussion of whether or not he did everything possible to save the baby."

I listened, still eyeing Edward. He had stopped at the nurses station and had been writing something in a chart and appeared to be signing a few documents. He closed the chart with an air of finality, tossed the pen and walked over to us.

"Edward, I was just assuring Charlie here that you were accompanied by another doctor at all times when you were around Jessica or the baby. He is concerned about a conflict of interest, just as we discussed," Carlisle told the boy.

"It doesn't matter now. I have no reason to be anywhere near Jessica," he looked straight at me, and I would have sworn that his eyes teared, "We lost the baby. Little boy."

He walked off then, moving down the hallway faster than you would normally walk I'd say.

"Damn it," I said getting a nod from Carlisle. "That girl needs to wake up and talk. Isn't there any way I can get just a lucid minute with her, Carlisle. That baby not making it makes this a homicide, not just assault." I took a moment and added, "Also need a DNA test."

"I'm sure one is ordered, Charlie, but I'll make sure," he said, putting a hand on my shoulder. "The baby had an Afro American heritage, Charlie. It wasn't Edward's child, just like he said."

"Well that's something. Huh. He always insisted it wasn't his, guess he was right then. Good. Still, the boy is the only suspect in the assault and I'm getting a lot of pressure to issue charges, Carlisle," I said as I stared at him.

He just stared back, apparently unable to say anything for a moment. "Charlie, you know as well as I do that the boy didn't beat that girl with a tire iron. He would never hit a woman . . . ever, much less a pregnant one."

"I want to think that doc, I really do, but all the evidence points to him," I told him, my hands in my pockets. I couldn't stand it, I wanted to trust the boy, he was my son in law after all, but the law was the law. "His fingerprints are on the tire iron, his skin is under her fingernails and he was seen at her apartment complex at the time the incident occurred. He admits to following her there, and he has no alibi and a hell of a motive. Unless something changes soon, I'm going to have no choice but to arrest and charge him, Carlisle. No choice at all. They are already yelling favoritism because I haven't done it already. Now, with the baby dying and all, there will be no choice."

"But Charlie, he was the one trying to _save _the baby for God's sake . . . and it was never his child, just as he said. He hasn't lied yet, Chief, doesn't that get him some slack?"

"Not where murder is concerned, Carlisle. I'll need a copy of the death certificate and an in depth cause of death as soon as you can manage it. Let's just hope to God the girl wakes up. Right now, I'd say your boy had about a fifty fifty chance of being convicted, and if they get character witness from when he lived here years ago, he'll probably go down,"" i told him. He looked like I had just frown two heads and was attacking him. He went pale and I thought for a minute he was the one that was going to need a doctor. Once a little color came back to his face, I said what I had to say before I left, "Just call me if there is even a chance she's lucid. Got it?"

"Yes. I understand," he said quite formally. "If you'll excuse me," he said turning his back and walking back into the surgical suite.

Damn it.

I have no choice. He had to know that.

I grabbed a cup of coffee and waited. No sense not being here on the off chance they could get something from her. I really didn't even care if she was lucid or not, anything would do at this point. I was grabbing at straws and I knew it. I made the call to have her car and his impounded and searched, hoping something might turn up there, and I radioed the station to check on the progress of the guys I had working her apartment over.

I pulled open the door to the hospital offices and walked in.

"Hi Gianna. How is your day going?' I asked casually. I needed something to just feel like everyday, like there was nothing horrible lurking around the corner.

"Chief, nice to see you. What can I do for you?" she asked, getting up from her desk and coming to fold her hands together on the counter and flirt with me playfully.

"I need the personnel file on Jessica Stanley. Copy the whole thing for me, actually, and I need to wait on it," I told her.

"Sure, Chief. How's she doing anyway?"

"She's hanging in there apparently. Just lost the baby, though."

"Oh no! That's too bad. She seemed to be looking forward to being a mom . . . and I know there was a lot of speculation about the baby's dad," she said in a whisper, leaning farther over the counter than she had before.

"Huh. Well that's true, it hasn't exactly been a secret has it. I shouldn't say this, Gianna, but it looks as though Doctor Cullen was telling the truth. Doesn't look like it was his kid," I told her.

"They know that already?" she asked, her eyebrows furrowing as she started to look somewhat annoyed.

"DNA will confirm it but . . . the kid was not all Caucasian. Couldn't have been Edward's. We'll wait for the paperwork to confirm it, though, but I have no doubt." She actually stepped back a little and held on to the counter. I knew she was one of Jessica's friends from all the questions and prodding around the hospital that I had been doing. She was obviously expecting the baby to be Edward's.

"Well. She lied then."

"Seems that way. I just hope she wakes up long enough to tell us who did this to her. Whoever the scum is, I want him behind bars," I huffed angrily.

"Good," she said. "Dr. Cullen, he always seems so nice, so friendly. It's good to know he wasn't lying, but it's hard not to believe Jessica, you know. She was just so head over heels about Dr. Cullen," Gianna mused as she finished up the copies for me.

"Yea, I got that. I just wish this whole thing had gone differently, the last 5 years in fact. Edward and Bella could have had several kids of their own by now but, at least the twins are on the way. Just have to straighten out this mess before it gets out of hand, that's all," I told her, slapping the palm of my hand on the counter as she returned from the copier to give me the information I had asked for.

I took the file and went back out to ICU but Miss Stanley was not yet out of recovery. I let them know where I was and went to sit in the waiting room and go over her file.

~oooOooo~

**EPOV**

"Alright, you're right Edward. Get her into surgery STAT. You'll assist . . . move everyone, now!"

Jessica's doctor finally gave in. The baby was in fetal distress, but it took a flat line on the monitor to convince him to operate. I knew he was worried that Jessica wouldn't survive the surgery, that she wasn't strong enough, but it was painfully obvious that the baby had no chance if we didn't operate . . . if he still even had a chance. I was afraid we had waited too long.

It all happened so fast, but it was like it was in slow motion. The doctor that Carloisle had assigned to _assist me, _fucking keep an eye on everything I did that is, whenever I was attending the Stanley baby was scrubbing up next to me. The incision was made and the baby separated from it's mom just as I entered the operating theatre. The placenta had indeed separated, and easily followed the baby out as it was no longer attached, There was blood everywhere, it was as if the amniotic fluid had been replaced by it.

The part that was especially hard to take was the bruising on the baby. Fuck. Whoever did this to Jessica had hit her hard enough to bruise the baby before he could ever be born.

We worked on the baby for over half an hour trying everything we could think of to get him to breath. CPR continued for way longer that was normally advisable, but I was determined to do everything possible, _everything._ I wasn't doing it to save my ass, or even because i knew the mother. I loved babies. _ Every baby. _They all deserved a chance. I had felt this strongly ever since Jaimee Rose had disappeared from me, and my determination is what had made me the doctor I was today. It wasn't my baby. There was no surprise there, not to me anyway. The child had a head full of curly black hair and African American features, in spite of being a preemie - well, not much of a preemie if my opinion counted.

The nurses were eying the baby even as we worked on him and my anger was growing. I couldn't help it, I had to say some shit and it came out, "What the fuck are you looking at him like that for? I've fucking told all of you for months that this wasn't my baby." I yelled. So what. they needed to get the fuck over it and get on with the business at hand because lives depended on it, not their fucking stupid morbid curiosity as to who the father was. I'm sure rumors would fly now, given his obvious parentage, but I just wanted him to have the chance to lie in a crib and have people talk about him. Right now it just didn't look like that was going to happen.

My "assistant" was insisting that we call it and I could think of nothing else that we could do. We had tried everything, so I gave in and called time of death. stoking the baby's hair one last time before I left him there for the nurses to tend to.

I walked out of the OR and to the nurses station to fill out the death certificate and sign the paper work. Chief Swan was standing talking to Carlisle over by the waiting room, but I hardly even noticed them. I fucking _hated _it when death won. I went against him everyday . . . and most days I won . . . just not today. It was hard not to cry for them, each one of them. There were classes given in school for this, how to face loosing patients. We all did it, and we wee supposed to become accustomed to it. Fuck that. I would never, ever become accustomed to letting him win . . .

I slammed the file harder than I needed to and walked over to my dad and father in law. Their faces were strained and I could only imagine the conversation they were having. It was about Jessica, of course. Chief didn't want me near her, and I wasn't stupid, I fucking understood the law, but I also understood that there had been no one better qualified to try and save that baby. I just stared at them and told them,

_It doesn't matter now. _

_I have no reason to be anywhere near Jessica. _

_We lost the baby. Little boy._

I walked away before they were able to see the tears that were forming in my eyes. I couldn't fucking help it. I hated losing.

I went to check on a mom that was in labor, I had been asked for a consult. I just wanted to check on the baby and get the fuck out of the hospital and home to Bella. Mrs Cope was there. She handed me the file, and noticed the distress on my face.

"Long day, doctor?" she asked.

"Yea." I said, pausing to stop and stare up at her from the chart in my hand. "I just left Jessica Stanley in the operating room, she's still critical, but . . . I just lost the baby. Little boy."

Before she could say a word I heard a gasp from behind me. The same damned nurse that had pretty much accosted me on Jessica's behalf when I had the very loud fight with Jessica at this very nursing station was there standing behind me.

"Oh my God, Edward. I'm so sorry. I know you wanted a child."

The woman's distress was obvious and her sentiment was probably sincere . . . but I had told them before, _repeatedly_, that this was not _my_ baby. I had lost a baby . . . but he had not been mine and these people needed to finally once and for all get that through their heads. I had hoped to prove it with a DNA test when the baby was born. I never wished for any harm to come to the child, but they all need to get over this idea of feeling sorry for me thinking I had lost _my _son.

Mrs. Cope saw my face, she reached a hand to touch me and comfort me, but there was no use. She knew it wasn't my child and was comforting me over the entire fucked up situation, but I blew anyway.

"Listen up, all of you. Jessica's Stanley's son died. He was delivered by emergency c-section about an hour ago and was not breathing. There was nothing that any of us could do, though we tried for over half an hour. Though I am upset at loosing the baby, it's because it was a baby. Listen closely - it was not_ my_ baby. Got it!" I literally shouted as I took the chart and went to check on the only other patient I was going to see before I got the hell out of here and went home to my wife.

Bella met me at the door when I got home, I guess my dad had called her. She hugged me to her and held me close as the day melted away from me. I was shaking it, I knew that. She took me by the hand and led me to our room and I just stood there in front of her, tears forming in my eyes. She slipped my lab coat off my shoulders and unbuttoned my shirt, sliding it off as well as loosening my pants and they hit the floor along with my boxers. I toed off my shoes and socks and stepped out of the pants as the last of her clothes hit the floor. She didn't hold me like I thought she was going to, or push me down on our bed and kiss me, instead she took my hand and led me to the bathroom. The jacuzzi was full and there was some type of aromatherapy shit or something smelling up the air in there, but it was kind of pleasant, and I liked it.

She stepped in, holding my hands for balance, and pulled me with her, settling down and pulling me to sit between her legs and lie back against her. She held me, nuzzling her face into my neck as the water warmed me and we were covered to our shoulders by bubbles and shit. She just held me, scratching my scalp and massaging my shoulders. We didn't speak except for a quiet murmured "I love you" in my ear. My leaning against her didn't work for long, as the babies started kicking my back in protest and we swapped positions, my hands on her belly feeling the lives she held there. The day washed away somewhat, and I started to realize that I was naked in the tub with my very pregnant wife rubbing her ass over my very quickly hardening dick. We had continued to be active every morning and evening since she had come back to me, and this would be no exception.

My hands traced circles over her belly and moved to cup her breasts, feeling the weight of them as i kissed her neck and she moaned under her breath. She fucking moaned. Shit. I was rock hard, instantly in spite of my day. I reached down and half moved her up my back half bent my dick down to where she was sitting above it, and now she had grasped me and was stoking it. It took only a moment before she raised herself up and slid me inside her, still facing away from me. God I loved this woman. She always knew exactly what I needed, way before I even thought of it.

I awoke in our bed, naked as always, but with me still held inside her folds. I was spooning her . . . but this was way beyond that. We had gotten a little carried way, making love most of the night and waking in the late hours of the night only to make love again. There really hadn't been a lot of sleeping going on . . . and I fucking loved it. I pulled away from her, Kismet's cold nose hitting my butt as she nudged me, wanting to go out. It was kind of late in the morning and I was glad it was a day I didn't have to go to the hospital. I hadn't been paged, so the baby in labor and delivery must have been born without much incident. Good. That was always good when they didn't need me.

I went to the kitchen and made all of Bella's favorites for breakfast, including bacon and pancakes, and put them all on one large plate for us to share on the breakfast tray and headed for our room, coffee in hand.

She must have smelled me coming, as she sat up when I walked in smiling from ear to ear. "Good morning, wife," I told her as I put the tray between us and we both sat crossed legged and naked on our bed and had breakfast together. She caught me up on the latest about her book and what had happened this week with her editor. Everything seemed ahead of schedule and she wanted to be done with the editing and all soon, just in case our babies came early.

We had just finished when there was a knock at the door and I put on a robe to answer it while she got dressed.

"Morning Charlie, come in," I said, looking at him questioningly. His cruiser was in the driveway and his deputy was leaned against the fender, his arms crossed like he thought he would be waiting there for awhile.

"Son, I hate like hell to do this, but the DA has given me no choice. I have to take you down to the station with me."

"What!" Bella almost screamed as she rounded the corner into the living room.

"Calm down, Bells, calm down. I don't have a choice here. That baby dying made this a homicide and Edward is the only suspect. I'm trying to avoid charging him yet, but the DA insists on speaking to him herself. She's waiting at the station."

"Dad, you know he didn't do it!" she said frantically, latching on to me around the waist.

"Get dressed son, I'll wait here," he insisted.

Bella followed me as I turned to go to our room and get some clothes on.

"I know, sweetheart. I know this is shit, but he is just doing his job and I was the last one to see her apparently, before she got beaten up. I'm just as mad and outraged as you are, but let's try to stay calm."

She looked at me like I was nuts, "You, _calm_? Has the world tipped on it's axis or something, husband?"

"Don't give me any shit, wife," I told her jokingly as I held her to me and kissed her lips.

"I'm coming with you," she told me as she slipped on some jeans instead of the shorts she had been wearing and grabbed her purse.

I walked out ahead of her.

"Ready, son?" Charlie asked as I came back into the living room.

He followed me out the door as we headed towards the car. His deputy, Lee, smiled with a cocky air about him as he opened the rear of the police cruiser for me to get in. Bella came out the door about then. Charlie eyed Bella for a moment, her keys and purse in hand, and told her, "There's no reason for you to have to come, Bells."

"The hell you say," she said defiantly. "That's _my _husband you're accusing of doing wrong and I'll be damned if I'm not going to be with him."

"Calm down, Bella. I don't want you driving upset baby, please," I told her, stroking up and down her arm.

"Edward, drive her down there for me, will you. We'll met you at the station," Charlie said.

Lee, Charlies deputy, slammed the back door of the patrol car and walked over, fuming.

"Chief, it's bad enough he isn't in cuffs. You're letting him drive a fucking car?" he said, outraged.

"Get in the damned car, Lee," Charlie demanded as I pulled Bella back away from them as step or two and held both of my arms around her.

"Chief this is outrageous, the DA . . ."

"NOW, Lee!" He demanded in no uncertain terms.

"Edward. I'll see you at the station. Drive carefully, son, no need to get either of you or my grand babies hurt over this. We'll work it out," he told me as he headed towards his cruiser and Bella and I headed toward the Volvo.

I heard Lee when the car door opened, and the words sent shivers down my spine . . .

_"But Chief, we were supposed to arrest him for assault and homicide . . ."_


	25. Chapter 25  Plans

******Disclaimer:** All the Twilight stuff belongs to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. I'm just playing in her sandbox.

**Chapter 25 Plans**

_"But Chief, we were supposed to arrest him for assault and homicide . . ."_

**EPOV**

"J. Jenks, please, Edward Cullen calling. Yes, I'll hold. J, yes it's good to talk to you as well . . ."

I called my attorney, well he had been my dad's attorney and my family's attorney and he had handled my inheritance and several things like buying my cottage and some investments since I returned to Forks. It would be only natural for him to handle this. He advised me that he couldn't represent me if there were charges because of some conflict of interest shit of some sort, but that wasn't what I wanted from him anyway. Most everything I had was in my name and Bella's, even if I had obtained it while she had been gone and I just wanted him to make the necessary steps to protect her . . . and my babies. In case someone started fucking with assets and shit, I thought it would be better if it was in her name alone, that way it couldn't be touched. She had her money, of course, and she was wealthy in her own right from book revenues, but she was my whole world anyway and I wanted her protected in every way, including financially. Husbands did that shit for their families.

Bella's face was indescribable. I hadn't looked at her on purpose since I picked up the phone. I knew she was scared, hell I was scared. I didn't have a fucking alibi, my fingerprints were on the weapon that hurt the girl, and they could prove a motive. I could really be fucked here, though I was completely innocent.

We were six weeks away from having our babies, probably two weeks considering it was twins, and I didn't want to upset her or worry her or add any stress at all if I could help it. From what I saw of the way Charlie was acting, neither did he.

"Edward, you don't really think there is a need for an attorney, do you?"

"If the DA is involved, sweetheart, then we sure as shit need advice. Let me call dad."

~oooOooo~

**CharliePOV**

I got into the cruiser and tried to hold my temper, I really did. Having a deputy question my judgement was just going too far, that was the only thing. He didn't shut up, but continued on about me letting Edward behind the wheel of a car and how he could just drive away.

"Chief, why the hell aren't you at least following him?" Lee demanded loudly. I had listened to enough from him.

"You're gonna need to shut the hell up, Lee. Last time I checked, I was in charge here. I'll listen to your advice and I appreciate your opinions and instincts. Hell I wouldn't have hired you if I didn't, but don't go against me like this. Never question me in front of anyone else, understand?" I demanded.

"But, Chief you . . ."

"Lee. Never question me in front of anyone especially not someone that we're dealing with about a case. I won't have it. Son, I'll write you up for insubordination and fire you quicker than you can say my name, do you understand me?" I blasted. I was sure spit was flying as I spoke, and I didn't care.

"I understand, Chief. I'm only trying to help. I think you're too close to this one, him being your son-in-law and all," Lee accused.

"You don't know much about me, do you? You've lived in this town what, two maybe three years?"

"About that, Chief," he answered somewhat defensively.

"Well, I knew Edward Cullen as a teenager and when he first started college years ago. It took me years to warm up to him, only happened this year in fact, and I've known him almost ten. I know what the boy was like and what the man he has become is, and my judgement is the one we're going to go with, understand?" I told him, some small amount less harshly but in a resounding manner none the less.

"If you say so. Just seems like it would be hard for you to be impartial, and we were sent out to arrest him, not let him into a car to get away in," Lee snapped curtly.

"He'll be at the station, Lee. Probably before we get there. He wants to prove himself innocent, I can see it in his eyes and so could you if you would just open yours," I told him, "that's how you become a good cop, Lee, you learn to read people and their faces."

I made my rounds through town, seeming nonchalant as I drove but feeling just a little bit nervous. I killed some time, making sure Edward had plenty of time to beat me to the office. Sure enough, Edward was waiting just outside on the steps of the station. He was pacing back and forth smoking a cigarette, something I hadn't seen him do in years, as Bella sat on the bench near by clasping her purse.

"Edward," I greeted him after parking and walking towards the station. Lee scooted by me almost forcefully, seemingly outraged that I had called it right.

"Dad, is this really necessary?" Bella pleaded.

"It's out of my hands, Bells. The DA wants to see him and she's waiting inside," he said, gesturing to the unfamiliar Mercedes parked in front of the station.

I watched as Edward drew a long breath from the cigarette in his hand and tossed it onto the cement step, grinding it into the pavement with his shoe as he exhaled. "Let's get this over with, Charlie," he commented, reaching for Bella's shoulder and starting up the stairs with her.

I followed them in, holding the door for my daughter.

"Why don't you sit down here, Bells, in my office. We'll be back in a while," I said gesturing to myself and her husband. She looked as though she wanted to come to but I put my hand up, gesturing to her, "You have to wait here. She wants to talk to Edward alone."

"But dad!" she almost wailed.

"No arguments," I said firmly.

"It's alright, sweetheart. I'll be right back," he told her lovingly as he held her to him. I had to look at the floor to give them a minute the moment was so personal between them. You could actually see and feel the love between these two, and I finally understood what Bella had been telling me since she took him back. She really did love the boy and he loved her. He had shown no upset himself at the idea of being questioned. Most folks got all crazy and nervous about it, but he had only shown concern for keeping her calm, especially since she was about to have their babies. All of a sudden, I had even more respect for this man. I would need to really do some investigating if I was going to find the guy that hurt Jessica and prove him innocent, but I had to try.

~oooOooo~

**Victoria POV**

"Yes, I know, I know. Chief Swan went out to bring him in just a little while ago and I'm going to the station now to question him. Yes. Well, you wanted the Cullens discredited, the boy has just given us a way to do it," I told my favorite candidate for governor. Well, I suppose I could call him my lover, but that was a dangerous term to use . . . his wife might find out.

The Cullens had always taken the side of our dear incumbent governor, propelling him to power on platforms including human rights and the environment but my James (Yes, James. Not the same Jakes that Bella was with, but there is actually another person in the world named James, imagine that!) was running against him this coming year. If we discredited the Cullen family with a scandal this size, we would severely limit their effectiveness in furthering the career of our dear current governor. Forever.

All the evidence I needed was right there in his file, the bastard probably did actually do it . . . not that it mattered. We wouldn't even have to make up some added evidence, given what I had read of his actions and admissions. The timing had to be right. I had initially told Chief Swan to arrest him this morning, but I was thinking better of that. I didn't want any public sympathy for the man and arresting him and throwing him in jail when his wife was about to deliver twins might arouse some public sympathy for him. I could wait. It wasn't like I thought he was a flight risk what with the very pregnant wife and the reputation for being so devoted to her. Even if he did, that would only work in our favor, pegging him as a heartless bastard, leaving his very pregnant wife to save his own skin! Ha! You had to love where the press would take that. All the Cullens were so cocky, thinking they were above reproach and couldn't be touched. We would just see about that.

I stroked the file a time or two, running my fingers along the evidence that would indite him. This was it. Once James was elected, he wouldn't care about publicly leaving his wife, we would come up with something to make it her fault, something she had done that was so despicable that he had to separate himself from her. I smiled in spite of myself. We could finally be together and not just at out of the way places and under cover of darkness.

I drove down to the station and waited an hour on them. Why the hell it was taking so long, I had no idea. Finally I saw him arrive with his wife, but they didn't come in the station. I had been expecting him in the back of the patrol car and in cuffs, not pacing with a cigarette in hand but it figured that his father-in-law/Chief of police would have let him drive himself in. Apparently he hadn't arrested him yet, and in this particular case, I was glad. Seeing her only reaffirmed my thinking that the public outcry and potential sympathy factor he could invoke with his wife as pregnant as the girl obviously was outweighed by the risk of his fleeing prosecution. He wouldn't run, he was too damned sure of himself if he was anything like his father. I could wait. I had all the evidence I needed and time was on my side.

~oooOooo~

**EPOV**

I paced back and forth in front of the station, though I tried not to. I had noticed an old pack of cigarettes in the door of the car on the way in and when I parked and reached for the door handle, I had grabbed them. I don't know why. Bella hated it when I smoked, but I just needed to calm down and depriving myself of oxygen seemed to help. I opened her door and helped her to stand, her belly getting in the way of most things these days, including moving around much on her own, at least from sitting to standing. We walked towards the door, Bella noticing that Charlie's cruiser was not there yet. We sat on the bench outside the door, my arm around her telling her not to worry, that we both knew I hadn't done anything wrong and that surely they would find the bastard that had hurt Jessica, or she would wake up and tell them who it was.

I was counting on the waking up and telling part. Though I didn't want to talk about it with Bella and worry her even more, they had a hell of a lot of circumstantial evidence staked up against me and it fucking looked bad, even I saw that. Prisons were full of people that wee innocent, you read about it all the time . . . people being shown to be innocent and released after serving ten years and shit. There was no way I was missing ten years of my kids lives . . . or ten years with Bella. Hell, I couldn't stand a night away from her, who was I kidding.

Charlie pulled up, something of a smile on his face when he saw me there waiting. His deputy, Lee, seemed to push past him and head on into the station like they had been arguing or something. I could only guess. Charlie walked over and held the door to the station open for Bella to walk in, after I helped her to her feet,and he suggested that she wait in his office. I thought she was going to jump down his throat she was so mad, but I held her for a moment, feeling her body relax as I silently comforted and reassured her. She was the one I was worried about in all of this and I had to keep her and my babies safe . . . and calm.

It was three hours later that I found her curled up on the sofa in Charlie's office. Charlie had always kept one in his tiny office in case he needed to spend the night at the station or whatever, and she luckily had dozed off. Thank God. I hesitated to wake her, she looked peaceful and I knew the minute she awoke she would be upset again.

"Take care of her," Charlie said as I felt a hand on my shoulder. Charlie wasn't one for any kind of demonstration of emotion, so his reassuring me this was was huge for him. He was trying to help. He hadn't said anything while Victoria tried to brow beat me and twist things around this morning during our little _talk_ session. She had a case against me, that much was certain, and it had been abundantly clear that Charlie was supposed to have arrested and charged me with second degree murder and assault this morning. She made it clear that, since he had not chosen to do that, she would wait a bit longer and search for more facts. Like she needed any more damned evidence. It was almost as though she was trying to scare me into running, to see if I would crack. I was fucked, and I knew it . . . so did Charlie.

"I'll find the bastard that beat the girl up, son. We'll get through this. Something made that damned woman think twice about charging you this morning, Edward, and I just have to use that time to get to the bottom of this. We need answers, and we need them now . . . before anyone is charged with that babies death."

I didn't say anything, I couldn't take my eyes off my wife.

"I know Victoria asked you . . . but isn't there anyone, a name, a place, anything you remember Jessica telling you at any time about any friends of hers or places she had been?" Charlie asked.

I thought about it, hell I had been thinking about it. "She never mentioned anyone, Charlie, not that I listed to her much. I was kind of just there and she led me wherever we were going at the time, movie, dinner, whatever. I don't remember shit about any of it, believe me, I've tried."

"Well, you better try harder, Edward. I'll do my part but think, son. We need a clue where to look, where she lived, who she knew. Think hard. The girls mom moved away years ago and her dad's been in prison forever. I'm going to talk to him, see if he kept in touch with his wife, but it's a slim chance. He's been behind bars since she was a baby," he told me. I hadn't known that about her, at least I thought I hadn't known. I guess I never cared to know when I lived here as a teenager, I just knew she had that fucking huge house where Bella had gone for a party and I had rescued her. That was about the extent of my knowledge about Jessica Stanley. Angela. Angela was friends with her, come to think of it.

"Charlie, do you remember Angela Webber . . . friend of Bella's from high school?"

"Sure. Pastor Webber's daughter. Nice girl," he answered, looking puzzled.

"She was a friend of Jessica's back in high school. They weren't friends now, but maybe she would know who else Jessica hung out with," I told him. I had forgotten about Angela - the only Angela I knew now was the nurse in the Nicu that I was friends with, and that was a different Angela altogether.

"No one else, son? Anyone at all?" he pressed.

"No, Charlie. I was a couple of years ahead of them in school, I only knew some of the girls by going out with them. Bella may know more of who Jessica hung out with back in those days, she was in her class. She went to that party at Jessica;s house . . . you remember."

"That was Jessica's house, wasn't it! That party where you had to go and rescue her and we ended up at the emergency room. Hell, Edward, she ended up at the emergency room so many times I had forgotten that one," he chuckled. "You two thought she was pregnant then, didn't you son?" he asked with a glint of anger in his eyes.

"Yes, we did, Charlie. She thought she was having James baby . . . he had fallen off that cliff a month before."

"So, when I came to the hospital to pick her up, I wasn't actually her next of kin . . . was I?" he asked, his anger surfacing. He was apparently seeing if I would tell him the truth and I had nothing to hide.

"No, Charlie, you weren't. We had been married for about two weeks when that happened." I watched as his face reddened, then calmed. He needed answers to try and solve the current problem, and I wasn't about to lie to him now, even if my answers made him mad.

"Son, I never asked this, but what do you know about her and that boy . . . James? I know my daughter, even back then, and she wasn't the kind of girl that just got pregnant like that. Help me out here, how did that happen . . . or do you know?" he asked, staring straight at me, his body rigid.

I gestured to his desk chair as I sat in the chair in front of it, Bella still fast asleep on the sofa. "No, she wasn't like that, and yes, I do know how it happened, Charlie. Are you sure you want to bring all of this up now, on top of everything else?" I asked, worried that it would only piss him off more.

"Yes."

He stared directly at me, through me almost his gaze was so intense Why the fuck he wanted to know this now I had no idea, but I had no problem telling him.

"Bella had gone to a party, Charlie. A Halloween party. You have to understand . . . back then everyone thought Bella was really uptight, a prude kind of," I smirked, "Just like you probably wanted her to be and I'll hope my daughter will be now that I think about it ," I laughed.

He smiled, but it didn't touch the rest of his face.

"Anyway, she was Jame's girl, and everyone harassed him for going with her because she never put out . . . ever. No one understood his fascination with her, including me," I told him sheepishly. "I was something of a player then, but you already knew that."

"Well, Mike and Tyler had a bet that Mike couldn't get Bella to kiss him. They came up with a trick . . . Tyler faked shooting Mike, fake blood and all which really upset Bella, especially since you were a cop and had apparently been shot before," I told him. Charlie nodded, his hands clasped in his lap as he listened.

"Bella ran to Mike and put his head in her lap, and Mike told her he wanted a kiss before he died. She kissed him. The ass hole jumped up and high fived Tyler, winning the bet and humiliating Bella. She was so upset, hysterical really, James took her back to his house to comfort her," I risked a glance up at him, but he was staring at his desk as he listened. Bella was still asleep, her breaths constant, so I continued.

"One thing led to another, and she ended up getting pregnant that night. Apparently she was crying so hard that James started just holding her and, well, fuck, you know what happened then so no, Charlie, she was never that kind of girl. They were getting married, Charlie, she and James. He bought her a dress and everything. It took me and Jake both to talk her out of hurting herself and jumping off that cliff where he died. She didn't want you to be ashamed of her and she had no idea what she would do now that he was gone," I took a deep breath and continued.

"I had promised James that I would take care of her if anything happened to him. He knew about my inheritance, he knew I could provide for her and his child. He loved her, Charlie. He told me how special she was, how she was everything to him and he got me to promise to be there for her . . . and thank God I did."

He was silent for a long moment, then he grabbed his pen and started writing.

"I doubt that Tyler is still around, he was something of a trouble maker and the Newton boy, Mike, moved to Seattle to run one of the damned chain stores they started. Jake is still here though. I hadn't thought of him. Maybe he would remember something to do with Jessica, it's worth a shot anyway," Charlie mused.

Bella stirred, her hand moving to wipe a stray lock from her face and tuck it back behind her ear as she sat up. "Hi sweetheart," I greeted her as I went to sit beside her and put my arm around her. She rested her head on my shoulder, groggy from being asleep and I'm sure tired from worrying about me. I kissed her softly, holding her to me.

"Let's go home, wife. I need you."


	26. Chapter 26  Diligence

**Disclaimer: **All the Twilight stuff belongs to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. I'm just playing in her sandbox.**  
**

**Chapter 26 Diligence**

_I thought about it, hell I had been thinking about it. "She never mentioned anyone, Charlie, not that I listed to her much. I was kind of just there and she led me wherever we were going at the time, movie, dinner, whatever. I don't remember shit about any of it, believe me, I've tried._

**CharliePOV**

Well the boy had better try harder. That DA had something up her sleeve, I could just smell it. She had evidence, lots of circumstantial evidence . . . and I had seen people put behind bars for years for less. All she had to do was convince a jury, and given Edwards past behavior when he lived here years ago, she could get some rough character references on him and sway a jury to believe he was guilty as charged.

If the Stanley girl would just wake up. I was just a block or so from the hospital, headed there to see for myself what condition the girl was in. I was tired of taking the opinion of others and through trusting them if the truth be told. Especially that deputy of mine.

I walked to the ICU desk and asked the nurses about her condition, but they told me it hadn't changed, so I headed to Carlisle's office. He was there, as I knew he would be . . . well, there or with one of his patients. It seemed like he was always at the hospital, but then I guess as the Chief of Staff, he had to be. His secretary told me just to go on in, and Carlisle looked up from one of his files, took off his glasses and stood to greet me.

"Morning Charlie," he said as I shook his outstretched hand, "What can I do for you this morning?"

"Well, I was hoping for some improvement in the Stanley girl, Carlisle," I told him, unable to hold his stare and shuffling my feet on the floor as I sat in the chair in front of his desk.

"No, no change I'm afraid, Charlie. We have eased off on the drugs for her, but she still hasn't woken up and there is just no improvement on any of her vitals as well," he said letting out a deep breath, "I'm . . . well, I'm not convinced that she will wake up."

"What's that?" I asked. my eyes focusing on his as he spoke now.

""I mean, I'm just not sure she is going to come out of this," Carlisle said slowly, pausing before he continued, "We may loose her."

"Damn. That just can't happen, Carlisle. It just can't."

"I know, I know," he agreed.

"No. You don't know," I paused.

This was police business and I shouldn't be discussing this with Carlisle . . . but Edward was his son and my son in law, and he needed to know.

"Carlisle . . . it's like this. You see, that DA of ours has her sights set on Edward, on prosecuting him for the baby's death and she would go full blast after him for Jessica's death as well if that happens."

"I see," he sighed quietly, his palms together in front of his face.

"I think it's more than just Edward," I stared full at him, "I think she has it in for Cullen's in general and would love nothing better than to drag you through the dirt as well."

"I've done nothing, just as I'm sure Edward didn't hurt Jessica, Charlie. I'm as sure of it as I am my own name," he stated flatly.

"I agree with you. We just have to prove it. Has anyone called or come in to see about the girl? Anyone other than your family I mean?"

"No, not that I'm aware of. I put notes in her chart that all visitors and phone calls inquiring about her had to be logged in and there is nothing there. No one," Carlisle told me.

"Well, that's just dandy. The girl is hurt and no one cares," I mused, "Didn't she have any friends? Any family in her personnel file, Carlisle?"

He rose and stepped towards his filing cabinets, looked through the files for a minute, then slammed the drawer, handing me the girls file.

"There is nothing there, Charlie. Her previous employer, a nursing home in Seattle, went under right after she moved here and the building she lived in is now vacant and being demolished. I have a man trying to find the owner of the building, but he's caught in red tape and various company's that retain ownership of the building. He's a private eye, Charlie, and he can't get anyone to admit any more than having seen her at the local grocery store and the lady at the counter that accepts payment for the power bill. Apparently she had her power turned off a number of times for non payment."

"Huh. Do you have a copy of that information from the private eye that I could have, Carlisle?"

"Sure," he said as he opened his brief case and stood to go make a copy.

I wondered for a minute why he didn't just call his secretary in to make the copy, but then I realized that he probably didn't want any of the staff to know anything about it. Information, gossip that is, seemed to spread here faster than germs. It explained why the file was in his brief case, not in the file cabinet or out on his desk for the secretary to see.

"Has your guy talked with any folks here in town that knew her in high school and such, before she moved away?" I asked him.

"No, not yet. I wanted him to go for more current contacts first," Carlisle explained.

Edward walked in, telling us good morning and asking if there were any new developments.

"No, nothing new, Charlie here was just trying to find out who might have known Jessica, even before she left town."

"Well, the only people I remember are some of the folks that Bella went to school with. Bella reminded me of Angela Webber. I called Angela, she still lives at home with her parents, and she hasn't heard from Jessica since she moved and left town years ago and neither has her father, Pastor Webber. The only people that Angela suggested I contact were Tyler Crowley and Mike Newton, and they have both moved out of town, along with that guy that Angela used to like, Ben Cheney,"

"Newton . . . Newton . . . ," Carlisle repeated softly. "Jane," he said, pressing his intercom and listening for her to answer, "Jane, check the files and see if there isn't a Newton that was just brought in yesterday."

"I think that Mr. Newton, the one that owns the Outfitters Store in town, I think he was admitted last night with a heart attack," Carlisle told us as he rose and gestured to the door.

We followed him into his outer office, Edward and I, and Jane turned from her computer screen to speak to him.

"Yes, sir. There was a Michael Newton, Sr. admitted last night to CICU," she told him.

I followed Carlisle and Edward as they headed for the cardiac intensive care unit, not knowing exactly what they intended. I couldn't very well question a man that just had a heart attack, after all!

"We'll be just a minute, Charlie," Edward said as he and Carlisle went into the unit. I sat myself down in the waiting room, not knowing exactly what I was waiting for but at this point, any possible lead was better than no lead.

"Lee, yea, Charlie. I need you to get on the computers and pull anything you can find on Ben Cheney, Tyler Crowley and Michael Newton. They went to Forks High with Bella. Yea. The Newton kid might be a junior. Anything, I want to know if they ever got a parking ticket, Lee."

That deputy was starting to really get under my skin, and his questions only made it worse, "No, the Stanley girl hasn't woken up yet. Yes, that's right. No, Lee, the DA said to hold off. You were there, remember? Just get the damned information I asked you for, and do it now. I'll be back to the station shortly to see what you found. Yea. Huh. Bye."

Damned kid. If I had a replacement. I might just get rid of Lee, he just rubbed me the wrong way. Maybe it was just that this case involved my family. Maybe I was too close . . . but I was close to all the cases I handled, forks was a very small town and i knew mos everyone that had been here for any length of time. It was just his constant insistence on arresting Edward that annoyed the hell out of me. the DA would push, in time, and I would have to do it . . . but I wasn;t arresting him till then, In the mean time, I was finding the person who beat the girl, because I knew it wasn't Edward.

There was a loud voice at the nurses desk, kind of insistent and annoying, but whiny at the same time. I turned to see an older version of the Mike newton i remembered from when Bells was in high school. I quickly stood and moved toward him.

"But my dad was admitted last night and i want to see him," he was demanding. The nurse was telling him that only two people were allowed at a time, and only immediate family and that regardless, doctors were with him right now and he would just have to wait.

"Which doctors?" Mike demanded.

"Dr. Carlisle Cullen, son," I told him as I approached to stand beside him at the nurses desk.

"Chief," he said dismissively.

"Carlisle and Edward emerged and after Mike and Edward exchanged stiff, short pleasantries Carlisle took him by the shoulder and walked off a few paces to have a private conversation, I'm sure, about his dad's condition. It was only a moment till Carlisle escorted him into the CICU.

"His dad should be fine. Overworked and not taking care of himself," Edward told me, "Guess he might need some of those walking and hiking supplies that he sells, the man will need to start exercising."

"Well, at least he got a wake up call," I retorted. "Meantime, I'm going to wait here for junior to come out and have a little chat," I said as Carlisle approached us. "Mike might know something about Jessica that we could use."

~oooOooo~

**BPOV**

"I really am just so worried about him, Angela," I confided in her.

I had gone to the Nicu to find Edward, only to run into Angela, heading for lunch in the cafeteria. I phoned my husband and he was meeting us there. I rarely got a chance to spend any time with my girlfriends, somehow either my book or Edward's family or Edward himself was occupying me, and I missed her company.

"Haven't they got any leads, Bella, any idea who could have hurt her so badly?" Angela asked.

"No. Nothing," I said as we rounded the corner and headed for the elevators.

It was a slow process the way I waddled when I walked. I couldn't help noticing the scoffs and the eyes that cut toward me as I passed, and I was sure it wasn't my being pregnant that they were paying attention to. Apparently this was just the tip of the iceberg that Edward had to contend with each and every day that he worked here. It seemed that even the people that weren't friends with Jessica, the ones that didn't know her personally at all, even they were siding with her which, somehow meant that they were against Edward, and me by association. We waited for the elevator, and I couldn't help over hearing the conversations behind me, though they were whispered.

_. . . why does she stay with him . . . some nerve coming here . . . _

_. . . still has a job here . . . should be behind bars . . ._

"Ignore them," Angela said defiantly, "they don't know what they're talking about."

I couldn't, though.

"Excuse me? If you have something to say, some comment, I'm standing right here. My husband told you ALL that the baby wasn't his . . . and it wasn't. DNA proved it, if appearance wasn't enough. He told you he was never engaged to her, and he wasn't. We have been married for over five years now. He has explained that he never laid a hand on her to harm her, and all of you should know that already. My God, He's a doctor for heavens sake, he SAVES lives . . . and all of you know it! If you need a scape goat, find someone else because MY HUSBAND never harmed ANYONE!"

I looked at Angela's face expecting to see shock, but she looked strangely pleased with my little tyre. The others scrambled, of course, deciding not to continue waiting with us for the damned slow elevator. I had no idea that there was any more to it than that and was in the middle of apologizing to Angela for going off like that in front of her when her tell tale glance over my shoulder gave something away. Arms encircled me and I was brought into a tight embrace against the chest of my husband . . . who had apparently been listening to my little outburst.

I felt his lips against my ear as he spoke, "Remind me to never EVER piss you off, Mrs. Cullen."

He must have smirked as he said it because Angela's faced cracked into a huge smile and they both chuckled at me. I turned in his arms to face him, my stomach so huge it forced him to just have his hands on my shoulders instead of around me.

"Don't poke sticks at me, Mr. or you will be next. If you think I'm going to just stand by and listen to that crock of bullshit spewing from those idiots you have another thought coming, and I don't care if they are your superiors, your inferiors or the fucking wicked witch of the east!"

"I love you, wife," he said as he bent to kiss my lips, effectively stopping me from continuing.

"Well, it sounds as if your vocabulary is rubbing off on her, Dr. Cullen." Angela chided.

"Fuck if I care. I like anything and everything I have to rub on my wife, and . . ."

"Edward!"

"Woops," He said as he turned to see Esme and Carlisle approaching. "Sorry, Mom," he said somewhat sheepishly.

"I should hope so! This is the hospital, Edward, not some pool hall or athletic competition where your testosterone filled language can come out and not be noticed," Esme told him.

"It's my fault, Esme. I got him started. A group of people in scrubs were saying some things they shouldn't have and I . . ."

"She corrected them, Dr. Cullen. That's all," Angela defended me.

"Well good for you, dear!" Esme cut in, "I would have done the same, but luckily they haven't the nerve to do it where I can hear them because my reputation for that sort of thing seems to proceed me. It's nice that you are going to join me in being exempt from their prattling!"

"Well, in any case, this isn't the place for that sort of thing," Carlisle added, gesturing towards the now open elevator. Apparently Carlisle and Esme were joining us for lunch. They did that sometimes, knowing that I came in and ate with Edward in the middle of his shift every time he worked. "I'm surprised Charlie isn't here and joining us, he continued.

"Did he find out anything from Mike up in CICU?" Edward asked.

"I have no idea. By the time I finished my notes on his chart, mike was annoying the charge nurse to let him back in to his father and the Chief had left," Carlisle told us.

"Well, I certainly hope he had some information," Esme fussed, "Just don't let it get to you, I don't. This whole thing is just ridiculous. My new daughter doesn't need any unnecessary worry when my grand babies are so close to being born!"

We all laughed at her as she stood there looking defiantly at us and holding her lunch tray. It wasn't so much Esme that was funny, it was the fact that she had put four deserts on her plate, not really looking and in an effort to just walk along the cafeteria line and seem nonchalant. This was affecting us all more than we cared to admit.

~oooOooo~

**Charlie POV**

Mike Newton had indeed known a good bit about Jessica . . . and about Tyler Crowley. Seemed that Mike had frequented the same bar as Tyler in Seattle and Mike knew the shipyard where Tyler had worked. I was headed there, having gotten exactly nowhere on the phone to the folks at the docks. Though Mike Newton thought that Tyler had gotten laid off, I needed information about him and I needed to go to the registry office. If they were married, I needed to know about it and the boy would have to come to Forks to make some decisions about Jessica anyway, especially if it got to the point that someone had to authorize life support being discontinued. I'd love a DNA sample as well, it would be good to know who that baby's father was and Tyler could fit the bill.

"Hell no," the guy they called Dutch replied, "that boy was one of the first to get laid off. Had a temper, always causing trouble. I was damned glad to get rid of him. Just the little while we took him back, what with the lay offs over and all, he was a pain in the ass. Flat fired him just as soon as I could justify it to the union. Asshole."

"Any ideas where he might have gone, he would have had to find work," I asked.

"Well, the team that hires him will be sorry as shit if you ask me, but to answer your question, he said something about having a bitch to support him. If he went looking for docks, they were hiring down in Port Angeles last I heard, " he gruffed, "You might try there."

I left him a card so that he could get a hold of me if he heard anything else about Tyler and after getting the same story from several of the guys he worked with, I was getting a picture of a violent guy who liked beer and didn't like rules. The office pulled his photo and app for me, so I had all his info as I drove towards the apartment building that Carlisle said was vacant now - that is, if it was the same one that Jessica had been traced to.

It was.

It was vacant and boarded up. Just as well, the place looked like it might fall down on its own, and I had a hard time thinking of Jessica living there. She had seemed like a girl that liked nice things, and this place didn't fit that bill by a long shot. It was getting late in the day but I decided to take the turn towards Port Angeles anyway, rather than drive straight back to Forks. I could get thee in time to catch a few people before the five o'clock whistle blew, if they even went by that as quitting time.

The docks were busy, even though it was late. Apparently freighters had to be unloaded whenever they docked, not just 9 to 5, and the place was alive with activity. I walked into the first office I saw and asked about Tyler, but the foreman there had no record of him on their books. he was helpful though, told me about the other five companies there that hired and unloaded, and i headed off to hit them all, one at a time.

The third one I hit was pay dirt. Tyler had been hired there only a week or so ago and had already left for the day. There was no home address given on his records, his boss had left it blank since the boy had said he just moved into town and had wanted to make sure he found work before he got a place to stay. It didn't matter. I would be back tomorrow, and tomorrow I hoped to have some answers.

I headed back towards home, excited that at least I had a trail to follow and a lead. I wasn't about to let Edward go down for something he didn't do. Hell, I had blamed him enough myself for something he apparently didn't do and I guess, if I thought about it, I was trying extra hard not only for Bella and those babies, but because I owed him big time for all the harassment I had put him through. They had lied to me though, hidden the fact that they got married and she was pregnant, but I guess I understood. She wanted me to feel proud of her at graduation, and I guess it would have made me embarrassed or whatever, knowing my little girl had gone and gotten pregnant and not been married and all . . . if I had known.

Well. Past history now.

She and the Cullen boy were together now, and I was determined that their _happily ever after _was not going to be spoiled.

I stopped in a little roadside bar and grill just out from town, it was suppertime and I had skipped lunch. In fact, I had skipped breakfast I was so hell bent on getting to the hospital to see if that girl had regained consciousness. It was kind of a dive, but I had eaten there before and the food was good. After ordering, I sat and drank my coffee, listening to some of the tall tales a group of guys were telling, half standing and half sitting at the bar.

There was the usual banter, the boss was a dick, the wife was a . . . whatever they chose to call her as an insult, and the money wasn't good. One of them disagreed, telling the others that the money here was better than in Seattle but suggesting that since he had ditched his wife, there was always more money to go around anyway.

Something about him caught my eye. His hair was longer, up in a badly kept afro and he had a thick beard . . . but it was him. Low and behold I saw it clearly from the photo the foreman in Seattle had given me. It was Tyler Crowley.

I didn't want to give myself away, anything other than just a cop having some dinner. I listened to their conversation as I finished my dinner. It seemed Tyler and a couple of others lived in a boarding house over on 4th. Huh. I had no backup with me, and I wondered if Tyler was going to be willing to talk, or if he was guilty . . . if I would need another officer with me. It wasn't long before i found out. The boy liked to brag, it seemed, and he hadn't noticed me in the darkened booth because of the partial wall separating it from the bar area. I finished my food and waited outside for them to leave, thinking it would be easier after his friends left him. I called Lee and told him to get over to me, but he wasn't answering. Ass. I was replacing him just as soon as possible. It was about that time that Tyler walked out and went to get into the passenger side of an old beat up Chevy with one of the other guys. I followed them to the boarding house, calling in the license on the way. I parked, stepped out of the squad car and walkied over to where he was fumbling with some clothes in the backseat, his buddy having already gone inside.

"Tyler Crowley," I addressed him, keeping back several feet.

He turned, saying "Who wants to know."

I flashed my badge, as if I needed to. Hell, I was in uniform. He straightened up and crossed his arms, "Yea, what do you want?"

"I want to ask you some questions about Jessica Stanley," I told him.

"Ah. Bitch left me back before Christmas. Walked out and left me with the bills. What the hell has she done now because I'm telling you, I'm not paying a single damned bill for her, ever," he spat, leaning back against the car.

"No, it's not a bill I'm interested in. Were you aware that she was pregnant?" I asked.

"Hell no. Bitch got herself knocked up huh, well, she sure as shit wasn't carrying when she left me," he laughed. Laughed.

"Well, I'm going to need you to come with me to answer a few questions," I told him, gesturing to the side of the building where my car was parked.

Lee was no where in sight and I hoped for the best, this wasn't exactly procedure, but then in a small town, backup wasn't always around. Tyler walked toward the car and I reached to open the back door - it was the last thing I remembered.

~oooOooo~

**Author's Note:** Well, here's another chapter, there may be spelling and typo's, but here it is! I owe _all_ of you an apology! I had NO idea it had been so long since I updated, what with two months of moving boxes and painting and making repairs to the house I left so that I can sell it, I'm just plain tired. Anyway. I'm sooo sorry . . . I suck . . . and I will do better! The story continues!


	27. Chapter 27  James Masen & Charles Edward

**************Disclaimer:** All the Twilight stuff belongs to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. I'm just playing in her sandbox.

**Chapter 27 James Masen & Charles Edward  
**

**EPOV**

"Sweetheart, they need something to play with!"

"Bella, be serious, "I tried to say in a serious tone with a straight face, laughing inside at the idea of me being the babies toy.

"I am serious. Really (kiss) really (kiss) serious (kiss)," she said as she trailed kisses down my chest and across my stomach . . .

"Bella!"

I snapped, a mixture of laughter and surprise in my voice as I grabbed for her wrists, her lips planting a soft kiss along the hair below my stomach. She looked up at me with those wide pools of chocolate, resting her chin in the v at the base of my stomach with the most innocent, impish grin on her face as she said,

"What? I can't give my husband kisses when I want to?"

"Bella! I don't think it's just kisses that you want," I said as her lips moved to plant a soft kiss on the head of my erection.

I rolled her to her back, straddling her on all fours holding her wrists to the bed. Lying on her, or even trying to prop up on my elbows was no longer an option, our babies were days away from making their appearance and my wife's belly was huge. I kissed her nose, her lips and down her jaw to her neck, tickling her with the scruff on my face and making her laugh. She brought her knee up to rub across my groin, all the while batting her eyelashes and kissing my face.

"Husband, please! You know you want to . . ."

I rolled us to our sides, cupping her face in my hands and kissing her lips. Her leg was instantly over my hip, her hand stroking my length while she played with the hair at the nap of my neck.

"Bella!"

"Edward, I _really really _want to, we haven't ever gone a day without till this morning and I need you!"

"Bella, you said you were feeling contractions, how can I think of anything but the babies when you say things like that?"

She grasped me more firmly and began running her fingers over the tip and stroking me, all the while trailing kisses down my neck to my lips. She took my hand from her face and put it between her legs, causing me to be painfully hard, instantly . . . I couldn't take her pleading with me like this for something I was normally all too happy to give her.

"Bel. . . la. . . . ," I moaned, "I just . . . we shouldn't . . . I . . . I . . ."

"Edward, she whispered in my ear, you're a pediatric specialist, you know the babies are bored and need to have something poked at them. Maybe it will urge them to come out and see us!"

"Wife, I took a deep breath and pulled away from her to look into her eyes, I am a nervous husband first and a doctor second," I said as I stared down at her naked body rubbing against me everywhere she could, "Fuck, Bella! I just don't want anything to go wrong . . . you know I want you, you know I love you."

"Good, I want you too, right now!"

Who was I kidding, I couldn't fucking deny her. I kissed her lovingly as I stroked her dripping wet folds. God, did she want me, I had never seen her like this. It wasn't possible for me to enter her from the front this way, the babies were just too large and in the way. I rolled onto my back and held her hands to steady her as she climbed to straddle me. I at least wanted her to be in control. She immediately pushed up with her knees to allow her hand to grasp me and guide me into her.

Let me make one thing absofuckinglutely clear. There is nothing softer, warmer or more sensual than the inside of a pregnant woman. Pregnancy hormones caused many changes, but dear God thank you for that one. She moved in circles, rocking over me, gently lifting up to have me thrust back in. I placed her hands on my chest and reached to gently squeeze her amazing breasts. Thank you again to those hormones, for gift number two to me, her breasts had filled out two full sizes and were ridiculously sensitive and responsive. One gentle suck from me would drive her instantly into a frenzy, sometimes causing her to cum from that sensation alone. They were so warm and soft, I had actually taken to using my wife's breast as a pillow at night. I didn't start the night that way of course, but by morning the pillow I thought I was holding to my face would actually be my wife's chest. God, I loved the sleeping naked rule she started our first night back together. It was gift number three that I had been battling lately, her overwhelming need to have me inside her several times a day. Not that I would complain and I have been thankful for it for months now, but the birth is just so near, putting anything else into her swollen body is just starting to worry me.

I felt the muscles in her legs start to tighten as I traced circles over my babies in her belly. She reached down and kissed me so passionately I felt the familiar tightening in my stomach as well. As she whispered her desire for me to cum with her in my ear, I obliged her, my hands in her hair gripping her to me. It was breathtaking. Her body in orgasm was the single most exquisite thing I had ever seen, a light sheen of moisture covering her from her exertions, her eyes hooded and her face glowing with absolute love for me. Damn I love this woman!

"Thank you, baby!"

"Why on earth would you thank me, wife, I love you. Making love with you is my single favorite thing to do, you know that."

"I know, but you were nervous about the babies and you gave in anyway, for me, and I love you for it."

I kissed her lips as I gently rolled her to her back and propped up on my elbow next to her, my other hand feeling my babies.

"You are so beautiful when you are pregnant, wife. I don't know how I could love you more," I said as I starred into he eyes and stroked her belly. Hard kicks all but knocked my hand off her stomach as our sons moved within her.

"Woops, I don't think they like their play toy taken away from them, Edward. They want it back, and so do I!"

I laughed at her till my sides ached, she was so single minded and determined. She snuggled up as close as possible to me, her hands playing in the sparse hair on my chest and the trail of soft hair running down to my now hardening erection.

"Come join me in the shower," she said as she rolled to her other side to get out of bed.

I watched her, amused at the trouble she had rising to her feet, only to stop dead, my heart in my throat.

"Sweetheart, come over here, please," I said as calmly as I was able.

She walked to my side of the bed, interrupting her path to the bathroom. I reached my hand between her legs and drew it back to show her the blood there that had left a trail on the sheets as she had risen out of bed. This time, it was me that had the cool, calm exterior.

"Oh My God Edward, the babies!" she exclaimed.

I swung my legs off the bed, pulling her to sit on my lap, my arms around her.

"Baby, its probably nothing to worry about. Spotting happens sometimes when you have sex and are this close to delivery, its just a sign that we are about to be parents. Just keep an eye out and make sure that the bleeding doesn't continue."

"Are you sure, husband?" she said holding her belly, her eyes almost starting to tear.

"Who is the doctor here, Mrs Cullen?" I playfully asked as my arms enveloped her and I nuzzled her neck.

"Well, I thought I was making love to my husband, not having sex with my babies doctor!"

That was my fiery wife talking. I hugged her and kissed her lightly. Come on, lets take that shower, wife! I was lighthearted with her, but I was watching her like a hawk to see if the bleeding continued and if I needed to get her to the hospital. I knew my Mom was coming over later to help put the finishing touches on the babies room, so she would not be alone while I went to the hospital to make my morning rounds.

~oooOooo~

**BPOV**

I just don't know what had come over me, really. I always enjoyed playing in and out of bed with Edward, but lately I just could not get enough of him. He said it was hormones and he loved it. I loved it as well, I just didn't like feeling so needy all the time!

I thought about how positive my life was now. Charlie had accepted Edward as the son he never had. I had yet to ask about their conversation at my Dad's barbecue, but whatever it had been, it had made a difference. Edward had even spend a couple of Saturdays fishing with my Dad. He would stop over to or from work to have a beer with him and they even kept up with some of the same sports teams and discussed the games by phone. Amazing. Until this Jessica thing, of course.

I set about tiding up the house after Edward left for the hospital. There wasn't much to do, really, Edward had seen to that. We were both fairly neat and orderly people, but of late Edward was trying to do everything even before it needed doing. I dare not try on a piece of clothing and leave it over the back of a chair or on the dresser in my closet because it would disappear into the "Honey I did the laundry and went to the dry cleaners" category. Honestly, some things had been cleaned twice and not worn even once! He was so frigging cute in his efforts to lessen the amount of things for me to do. Our bed had been completely changed and the sheets in the wash before he was out the door this morning.

I had my work, of course. I was just finishing up my latest novel. The publisher had agreed, begrudgingly, to waving the necessity of a book tour to promote the book, knowing that it would be a deal breaker for me. They took me on my terms, or not at all, I was successful enough to dictate things like that now.

"Bella, are you home, dear?"

"In the bedroom, Esme."

"Are you alone, dear?

I blushed red as I answered, "All alone, just me and the boys!"

Esme was laughing, "I'm never just walking into your bedroom again after Alice and I surprised you two that first time."

"I'm sorry about that, Esme, we just couldn't bring ourselves to care at the time. I was so happy to have Edward back, you could have come in with TV cameras for all I cared."

She laughed, "I'm so glad you found each other. How are you doing with these babies? Are you going to hog these babies much longer or are you about ready to let the rest of us see and hold them?"

"Um, to tell you the truth, I was trying my best to coax them out this morning by . . . getting Edward to help me, if you know what I mean . . ."

"I'm sure Edward is more than willing to help with that all the time, is he not?" she said smirking at me.

"That he is."

We both broke down in laughter sitting on my bed chatting. She had brought over the linens we had ordered for the boys room and when we had finished hanging the curtains and making the cribs, I started to cry.

"Esme, it is just perfect. Thank you for helping me design this, it is just what I envisioned!"

The walls were a very light sky blue with a royal blue carpet, the exact color of the water outside the house just before sundown. The linens depicted ships sailing and dolphins swimming and there was even a pirate ship in the background! It looked warm and comfortable, down to the two rocking chairs by the cribs. I had placed the little blue bear that Edward had tied my rings to on the dresser by the nautical lamp in the corner of the room. The sleepers were in the drawers, blankets and diapers waiting and gorgeous little outfits in the closet. We were ready.

~oooOooo~

**EPOV**

The damned silent treatment was going to drive me nuts. Fucking nuts. Everyone at the hospital walked on pins and needles around me. There had been no charges, of course. The DA agreed that I had explanations for everything, everywhere they had found my prints and all, but I was still considered a _person of interest _in the case. Charlie had something to do with that. He stood on my side, insisting that my story checked out completely, right down to the scratches on the arm occurring in front of everyone at the hospital and blood on my lab cost that they recovered from Carlisle's office to prove it.

As far as the fucking town of Forks was concerned though, I was guilty as hell. Some folks even refused me as a consult over it. Fuck it, I could care less. As soon as Jessica woke up we would find out who the hell beat her and they would all know that it sure as hell hadn't been me. The problem was her waking up. It had been nearly four weeks, and no sign of improvement. She was stable now and that in itself was a relief, it was just a waiting game.

Bella still routinely had lunch with me every day that I worked at the hospital. I had made sure she was coming to lunch with me today partly because I was getting kind of needy, too, and I didn't want to go a whole shift without seeing her and partly because I wanted to keep an eye on her after what had happened this morning.

I walked to the front lobby just as she was making her way in the door to find me.

"Looking for me, wife?" I said as I sauntered over to her, exaggeratedly acting like a predator about to pounce.

"Edward, how did you know I was just coming in?"

"I have been waiting for you, I missed you."

My wife saw right through me. Her response cut to the chase and summed up both our actions and feelings the last few weeks.

"We are pathetic, you know that, right? You are just as needy as I am right now and I love it."

"Am not," I said like a petulant 5 year old.

"Are too," she shot back at me, giving me tit for tat, as always, and I loved it.

"I want dessert first," she demanded.

"Somehow wife, that sounds like you," I said laughing at her. "Lets not even bother with the appearance or going to a restaurant, lets go straight to the ice cream parlor."

"Yes! I knew I loved you for a reason, husband," she said as she kissed my lips, "You buy me ice cream and don't make me eat my veges first!"

We had just finished sharing a banana split, having decided to lunch at Baskin Robins Ice Cream parlor, when her body stiffened and her brow creased. She didn't have to tell me, I threw away the remnants of our _lunch_ and put my arm around her waist as she stood.

"This explains why you wanted dessert first. I thought this might happen today, after the morning we had."

"Is that why you called to make sure I was coming to have lunch with you, you were checking up on me?" she asked teasingly.

"Bella, I am always checking on you and yes, I wanted you to be examined today and I didn't want you to worry about it beforehand. I love you, all three of you."

She laughed as I put one hand on each side of her belly, staring wide eyed to exaggerate how wide she had become.

"Edward Cullen! It is your fault I'm as big as the side of a house so don't you dare stand there and stare!" she spat playfully at me as she allowed me to help her lower herself down into the car.

"Love, I think the ice cream parlor has had something to do with it."

She gave me the death look with her lips tightly clenched in a straight line. She almost managed to look mad. I called the hospital as we started towards there to let them know that I would not be coming back on duty after lunch, that I would be in labor and delivery. It took Angela only moments on the phone to realize what that yelled to my Dad, "They're having the babies!" loud enough that I had to move the phone from my ear. Angela was the aid to the chief of staff at the hospital now, effectively making her my Dad's right hand.

Bella insisted on parking the car with me and walking in herself. I didn't argue, as I was assigned a space just by the door to the emergency room anyway. After she was settled in her room and her doctor had checked her, we called the family. All of them. She was dilated 6 cm and we were having the babies. Today.

"Do you want to call them or do you want me to?" I asked him as we settled into our room.

"Let's both call everyone. Your Dad and Mom first."

Dad wasn't answering, so we left a message at work as well as at home.

"Dad, this is Bella (and Edward I chimed in). We're just calling to let you and Mom know we are at the hospital and the babies are coming. See you soon!"

We repeated the process for my Mom and Dad (who already knew thanks to my phone call to the hospital earlier), my sister and brother, Jake and Angela. We stopped calling after that figuring news would spread on its own. I knew it was acceptable for everyone to be in the room with us up until and even during delivery, but I didn't want them to.

"Sweetheart," I said as he leaned over to hug me, "when we are close to seeing our sons, could you ask everyone to wait outside?"

I guess my face must have given away the surprise I felt at her saying this. We had not discussed it till now. I was willing to do it any way she wanted, she was after all, the one actually giving birth.

"I'm so glad you feel that way, baby. I just wanted it to be you and me but I would have gone along with whatever you wanted, whatever makes you comfortable."

Carlisle was first to join us, taking Bella's hand telling us how excited they were for both of us. He was followed by Esme and Alice with Renee close behind. My siblings and their spouses joined us within the hour and Jake stuck his head in the door, but seemed really shy about being there in the room with me. He was visibly relieved when Edward announced that everyone was welcome to stay till the contractions became intense and the birth was eminent. At that point, we would like to be alone to welcome our sons. They all understood, even if my mother pouted.

We had been in the room just over an hour and I knew Bella was becoming increasingly uncomfortable. She had refused pain medication and delayed the idea of an epidural to mask the pain. We were down to contractions every 3 minutes lasting almost a minute. She was starting to perspire heavily and clutch on to me while she breathed through the contractions.

Edward turned to face our family to let them know, "When the doctor comes in this time and you step out for him to check Bella, we would ask that you stay in the waiting area till we call you. This just needs to be something private between Bella and I."

"You know I love all of you," Bella panted, "please don't be offended and please don't leave! I want you to meet our sons."

Renee lingered, reluctant to leave her daughter but Esme took her arm and ushered her out the door. Bella let go of the facade now, grasping me to her side and furrowing her brow as she struggled to breath through the contraction. She had rejected the idea of pain medication and even the epidural, electing to go for natural childbirth. She had decided it would be better for the babies and I knew she was right. I just had a hell of a time watching her in pain.

"You are 9 centimeters and fully effaced, are you ready to push?" asked Dr. Riley.

"Ready as ever," her sentence was cut short by another contraction, this time I encouraged her to push. It only took a couple of pushes and the total deprivation of blood to my arms from her grasp and I was being asked if I would like to grab the baby, to be the first one to hold him. I was at the end of the table instantly and caught my son, James Masen, on his way out. He was small and pink and perfect with loads of matted hair covering his head and a very loud little set of lungs. I cut the cord, wrapped him loosely and placed him on Bella's chest. There was little time for me to linger there, a nurse stood by the baby to make sure Bella was able to hold him and continue to push. I stepped around to welcome my second son as he emerged just moments later, catching his shoulder and getting slightly hung up on his way out to meet me. He too had mass amounts of what looked like curly hair on his head and a set of lungs. They appeared to be both about 5 pounds. That would explain how huge Bella had gotten. Five pound twins was a lot of baby for one small lady to carry. I wrapped Charles Edward in a blanket as well and tucked him on the other side of my wife's chest so that she had one in each arm and the nurse took a photo of us. The babies were taken to the other side of the room to be washed and examined, but I sat beside Bella and held her while the doctor finished delivering the placenta and finishing up with her.

"You were amazing, sweetheart. Thank you for our beautiful sons. I love you," I told her as I nuzzled my face against her neck.

"I love you, too, husband."

She seemed far away for a moment and I knew where her mind had taken her. "Bella, I would still like to have Jaymee-Rose someday, if that's alright with you."

"Edward," she said as she started to tear, "I would too. I love our sons, but there is still a place in my heart for our lost daughter. I'm so glad you feel that way, too!"

The nurse handed our sons to Bella, each with a blue hat on and it seemed as though I could already tell them apart. James had a rather square jaw and angular face while Charlie's face was more tear shaped, like Bella's. We touched their little hands and let them hold our fingers and behaved like blithering idiots for several minutes, till a knock at the door demanded out attention. I looked around, surprised to see that the doctor and nurses had left the room, leaving me alone with my family. Carlisle's head peaked in the door, obviously responsible for the knock.

"Okay to see my grandsons now, son?" he asked with a smile.

"Sorry, sure, come on in Dad and bring all those other people I see peeking around from behind you!"

Our entire family surrounded us admiring my sons. There were congratulations and pats on the back, but the most memorable to me came as Carlisle put his arm over my shoulder and said, "Well done, son." Charlie hadn't arrived yet. Apparently he had gone to follow a lead up in Seattle and hadn't gotten back but there was so much excitement and commotion that Bella hadn't centered on that fact . . . yet.

Several wrapped gifts were brought in and handed to us, the first being from Alice.

"Alice, designer clothing for infants! Come on!"

"Bella, I had these outfits designed just for these babies, one of a kinds! It's what I do, you know that!" Everyone chuckled at the exchange, as if anyone could win against Alice!

She had also gotten Bella and me a gift card to i tunes and the note read -

_Something for you to listen to, since moaning won't be an option for awhile!_

"Alice!" Mom had exclaimed, admonishing the little pixie for being so blatant. She defended herself by declaring, "You know they can't keep their hands off each other, they need something to do for the next 6 weeks!"

Everyone turned to look at me. I was sure my face was that of a man being burned at the stake -

"Eddie, you okay?" Emmett asked, "You look like a guy whose brand new Italian sports car just got crushed by a train!"

"No, no, I'm fine. I just hadn't thought about. . . I mean I had forgotten about . . . I hadn't considered that . . ."

The room broke out in laughter, Bella took my hand and said to the surprise of everyone but me, "Don't worry, husband, you promised I could kiss anything I wanted any time I wanted!"

I don't believe I have ever seen that shade of red on a human before . . . on either my mom or my dad!

We moved to a private room and I let both boys nurse, our family had said good night to us and we were alone for the evening in the hospital room. I couldn't believe how good the boys were, or how much hair they had! James had straight, copper colored hair that went in every direction while Charlie had almost ringlets of dark hair framing his face. Honestly, right now, they looked nothing at all alike, though I knew they were brothers.

The babies and Bella slept for the remainder of the evening, the nurses waking my wife regularly to press on her belly and attend to her needs. I insisted on escorting her to the bathroom her first time, and the nurses knew better than to argue with me . . . and so did my wife. I was in full doctor mode in spite of the fact that they were my babies and my wife.

"Edward, I can't pee in front of you!" she had lamely tried as an excuse, but she finally gave in after I reminded her that I had had any parts of me that would fit inserted there and my eyes inches from every part of her. I think the blush that covered her face extended over her entire chest with that revelation!

The babies nursed every few hours and we dozed in between, knowing that when her milk let down in a day or two the feeding sessions would be longer and her discomfort greater. We had visitors in and out during the day, but I had asked them to limit it to family till the next day. Though the babies were large enough, they were still somewhat premature and I wanted to limit their exposure to people limited at least for a day or two.

It was evening, finally late enough to get some rest. I had just put the babies back in their bassinets and I was settling back into bed beside my wife when my cell vibrated. I knew the hospital knew better than to call me, so I checked it. It was a text from Carlisle asking me to meet him in emergency . . . now. I checked on the boys, who were both fast asleep and slipped out the door to see what the hell was so important I had to leave my babies.

Carlisle was standing in the emergency waiting room, lab coat on so I guess he had been on call tonight with his arm around Renee. As I approached and asked what was going on, Renee fell apart crying,

"Oh, Edward . . . it's Charlie!"


	28. Chapter 28  Family

**Disclaimer:** All the Twilight stuff belongs to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. I'm just playing in her sandbox.

**Author's Note: ** There are no words adequate to express how sorry I am for the length of time between updates. Were I the reader, I would be extremely frustrated and quite frankly would probably have forgotten most of the story line.

Real life has slowed somewhat, in spite of the holidays, and I seem to have a handle on writing this Edward and not mixing him up with the vampire Edward in HHH. At any rate, this chapter is the births from Bella's point of view and I hope you enjoy it!

**Chapter 28 Family**

_I checked on the boys, who were both fast asleep and slipped out the door _

_to see what the hell was so important I had to leave my babies._

_Carlisle was standing in the emergency waiting room, _

_lab coat on so I guess he had been on call tonight with his arm around Renee. _

_As I approached and asked what was going on, Renee fell apart crying,_

_"Oh, Edward . . . it's Charlie!"_

_~oooOooo~_

**EPOV**

"What the hell is going on?" I spat, fucking annoyed that I wasn't with Bella and the babies, "What's happened?"

"Edward," my father's tone admonished me, "Charlie was brought in about an hour ago. Concussion."

Shit. I should have known my father wouldn't have called for me unless it had been important. Now I felt like an ass for being so angry when I first walked up to them.

"How is he?" I asked, putting a hand on Renee's shoulder.

"He's holding his own. He hasn't come around yet and we don't know if there was any . . . damage," Carlisle told me.

I knew what he meant. Brain damage caused by the brain being bruised and swelling. Damn.

"Some joggers found him lying on the ground beside his car up in Port Angeles and called 911. The ambulance brought him here. Guess the EMT guys figured he's rather be in his own town since they knew who he was. His deputy has gone up there to get his patrol car and ask questions. There is nothing you can do, we just wanted you to know and to decide if we told Bella," Renee said softly, obviously having a hard time holding it together.

Bella. Damn. She just had our babies yesterday and there was no way I wanted her upset. Damn it. We had promised to keep nothing from each other and I had no idea how to handle this.

"She's sleeping right now and I don't want to wake her. I'll see how she is when she wakes up and decide then whether to tell her right away or delay it longer. Just keep me the fuck informed if he stirs at all, will you?" I asked Carlisle.

"Yes, of course. We just thought you should know. Bella is bound to have asked why her dad hasn't been by to see the babies," he said.

"She mentioned it this afternoon, but she just dismissed it. She's been kind of busy trying to feed and change two of them," I chuckled in spite of myself.

"Oh! The babies! How are they doing?" Renee asked as though she had done something wrong in not checking on them recently.

"The little guys are doing just fine, Renee, and Bella is sleeping. No need to worry about us, just take care of yourself. I'm sure my dad will do everything he can for Charlie," I assured her, giving her a hug. "If you need anything, anything at all, just let me know, okay?" I quietly offered.

I walked back to Bella's room and entered, making sure I was quiet. My wife and babies were still asleep, just as I had left them. I crawled into bed beside my wife, feeling her unconsciously snuggle into me as I wrapped my arms around her. Why the hell did life keep throwing us curved balls? How the fuck hard would it really be for us to just get a fucking break and be left the hell alone for a little while. I had just gotten her back after years of separation and now we had a family together to tend to. I just wanted to be left the fuck alone with my family, with no one hurt and no damned drama!

~oooOooo~

**BPOV**

I looked around the room, admitting even to myself that it was absolutely perfect.

"Now all we need is for you to share those babies with the rest of us," Esme chided, placing her hand softly on my huge belly.

Of course, it was at that moment that one of the twins decided to kick . . . hard. We both broke out laughing as I grabbed my belly.

"I think the babies agree with you, Esme. Edward was so nervous this morning, it was almost impossible to shoo him out the door," I laughed.

"Well, the call I got from him was probably from the driveway, dear."

"He didn't!" I interrupted, shaking my head at the lengths my husband was willing to go to to make sure I was alright.

"He was anxious to know that you weren't going to be alone for long."

That was just like Edward. "Good thing everything is ready! Your son is so funny, Esme, I have to actually hold on to things I take out to look at or to put an outfit together. If I so much as lay a shirt on the bed, it disappears while I 'm in the closet looking for pants to match it!"

"Well, he's just so happy to have you, Bella," she said . . . a sad look covering her face, "I worried that we might actually loose him. He was so empty, just a shell really. You know we had to be desperate to see him interact at all for us to be happy when that _Jessica_ came over with him, honestly."

My new mother in law stood and quietly surveyed the room with me.

She laughed, "I'm so glad you found each other. How are you doing with these babies? Are you going to hog these babies much longer or are you about ready to let the rest of us see and hold them?"

"Um, to tell you the truth, I was trying my best to coax them out this morning by . . . getting Edward to help me, if you know what I mean . . ."

"I'm sure Edward is more than willing to help with that all the time, is he not?" she said smirking at me.

"That he is."

We both broke down in laughter sitting on my bed chatting. She had brought over the linens we had ordered for the boys room and when we had finished hanging the curtains and making the cribs, I started to cry.

"Esme, it is just perfect. Thank you for helping me design this, it is just what I envisioned!"

"It is really perfect, isn't it?" she concluded. "Do we have another bear, dear?" Esme asked, walking over to the dresser to look at the little blue bear that was next to the lamp.

"No, just the one," I answered, knowing the blush that covered my face would give me away.

"Bella?"

I cleared my throat, reaching for the bear in her hand and hugging it to me. It still smelled of Edward.

"We can get the boys bears . . . but this one is actually mine. Edward gave it to me," I told her, adjusting the ribbons around the bears neck.

Esme saw right through me, "There is a story here. Come on, let's sit down and you can tell me just what is so special about that little bear."

I hesitated, fingering the ribbons and staring at the little bear in my lap.

"Apparently Edward had bought this bear to bring home to me in New York . . . the night I had left. Turns out, he tied my wedding rings to the ribbons around the bears neck and kept it on my side of the bed till last Christmas, when he found out where I lived and snuck in to put it under the tree along with a note," I started to tear up.

Wiping my face with the back of my hand as Esme's arm went around my shoulders, I told her about the note and explained more fully that either Edward or I had ever elaborated about the confusion that had occurred and how we had both left notes for the other that had not been read in time.

"Anyway," I paused to grab a tissue, "this bear is mine. Seems your son is such a softy he actually slept with the bear for all those years."

Esme smiled softly.

"He admitted it when I asked him why the bear smelled just like him," I explained.

"Well, I'm thrilled that you found each other. The way he looks at you, it's so obvious just how much he loves you, and you him."

"I do love him so much, he's everything to me. Even when we were apart, the only way I coped was to immerse myself in a fairytale world that I created with Edward and i together . . . that's how the book came about to begin with. It was just a way for me to survive, really. I missed him so much, I had no idea he was just as lost as I was!"

I looked at the time, realizing I was supposed to meet Edward at the hospital for lunch and realizing that my stomach was growling from having skipped breakfast. Esme offered to drive me into town, but then I would have to take Edward's car to get home and it was just silly. I could drive myself.

Reluctantly, Esme agreed and we both headed off, though i was pretty sure she was on the phone to Edward as soon as she was out of my sight. My husband thought he was so sly, but it could not have been more obvious that he was worried about me and the babies since he saw blood this morning. He had made sure I wasn't left alone for long and seemed to be keeping in touch at every turn. It was no surprise to me that he was actually waiting in the front lobby of the hospital when I walked in.

"We are pathetic, you know that, right? You are just as needy as I am right now and I love it."

"Am not," he shot back like a petulant 5 year old.

"Are too," I insisted, loving the tit for tat exchanges we always seemed to have.

"I want dessert first," I sheepishly told him, not wanting to bother with the pretense of going to a restaurant and having a meal.

He made some snide comment about me always wanting dessert, more innuendo really, then suggested we go to the ice cream parlor and skip going to a restaurant all together.

Bingo.

"Yes! I knew I loved you for a reason, husband," I said as I kissed him right there, not caring who was looking, "You buy me ice cream and don't make me eat my veges first!"

I was having a great time, Edward always seemed to hog the pineapple topping and we were in the middle of a spoon fight over the last piece when my stomach tightened uncomfortably. It had been doing that all morning, but I just assumed it was because I skipped breakfast. This one though . . . well, it was different. I had my hand on my belly, holding it from all the laughter that had been going on during our fight over the banana split and I noticed that my belly got rock hard.

Edward noticed, of course.

"This explains why you wanted dessert first. I thought this might happen today, after the morning we had," he laughed, his arm tightening around me.

"Is that why you called to make sure I was coming to have lunch with you, you were checking up on me?" I questioned.

"Bella, I am always checking on you and yes, I wanted you to be examined today and I didn't want you to worry about it beforehand. I love you, all three of you."

I had to laugh at him. he was just so damned cute when he went all overprotective like this. He put one hand on each side of my belly, I thought to feel his sons, but the wide eyes stare he gave me let me know that he was teasing me about how big and wide I had gotten.

"Edward Cullen! It is your fault I'm as big as the side of a house so don't you dare stand there and stare!" I fussed.

I accepted his help to lower me into the seat of the car, anyway. The devilish look on his face told me that the teasing wasn't over, and I was right.

"Love, I think the ice cream parlor has had something to do with it," he chuckled.

If I could have reached him I would have given him a swat, but as it was I had to settle for doing my best to look mad. He rounded the car in no time and was driving toward the hospital, on the phone telling them to expect us and that he would not be back on the floor today.

Even from the passenger seat i could hear Angela's voice as she yelled "They're having the babies!"

Edward pulled into the front entryway of the hospital and tried to drop me off at the door, but i wasn;t having it. His assigned parking space was close enough and i didn;t want to leave him even for a minute. As brave as I was trying to be, I wasn't about to let him out of my sight.

Dr. Riley came in and checked me after we were settled into a room, a courtesy I was sure was due to Edward's position on staff and the fact that he was a pediatric doctor. Patients were usually checked to make sure they were really in labor before they were wet up in a room in labor and delivery.

We were indeed having the boys today, and we both got on the phone and called everyone. Everyone. We even left a message for my dad, since he hadn't answered.

It wasn't long before Carlisle joined us. He was bubbling over, obviously excited for us and excited at the idea of being a grandfather. You honestly would have never know he was a doctor himself and in charge of the hospital to see the almost giggly way he was acting over the babies coming. Esme and Alice were there moments later, holding my hands and asking if I needed anything . . . anything at all. I finally sent Alice to get me some crushed ice just to give her something to do to use all that energy she had.

Mom walked in, worried but excited as she eyed Edward almost glued to my side, his arm around me still and my hand in his as he sat on the bed beside me. She was still unaccustomed to seeing me being so close to anyone, I had always been so reserved as a kid and even as a teenager. Somehow she had gotten it into her head that she was going to be the one to stay with me for the actual birth of our sons, and I was worried that she would put up a fuss when Edward asked her to leave.

I refused pain medication, knowing it was better for the twins to deliver them naturally and hoping that with Edward's encouragement, I could last through it. He must have noticed that the contractions were coming faster and harder now, or maybe it was the blood loss to his arm from my death grip that gave it away. In any case, he announced that when they stepped out for the doctor to check me, he would appreciate it if all of our family and friends would wait in the waiting room. He told them that we wanted to be alone to welcome our sons, that it needed to be private between us. The love in his eyes was unmistakable.

They all understood . . . except my mom. She pouted instantly, and Esme had to actually take her by the arm and pull her out of the room. If looks could kill, Edward would have been a dead man from the glare she was throwing his way.

"You know I love all of you," I all but panted, "please don't be offended and please don't leave! I want you to meet our sons."

I had enough restraint to wait for the door to shut as my mom left before I grasped onto my husband with a renewed death grip, struggling to breath through the hard contraction that was wracking my body. I knew it would be hard for Edward to see me in pain, but he knew better than most just what I was about to go through . . . and he knew that by not using drugs of any kind, I was giving my boys their best chance at a healthy birth.

He held me with his other arm (the one I wasn't puncturing with my nails) and whispered his love for me. He told me how well I was doing, how beautiful I was, and how happy I made him. He wiped my forehead with cool rags, massaged my lower back and wrapped his arm around my belly to help with the contraction. He told me how glad he was that I came back to him, how much he missed me whenever I was out of the room with him, and how happy he was that we were having children together.

"You are 9 centimeters and fully effaced, are you ready to push?" asked Dr. Riley.

I tried to answer, but the contractions were inter fearing with my ability to speak as well as the blood flow to Edward's hands as he encouraged me to push. I felt as though I was trying to "shit a brick". Literally. It was worse than any food poisoning or gas or menstrual cramps had ever been in the history of time, and just when I thought I would give in and ask for drugs . . . just when I could no longer talk myself into being somewhat calm and determined, the baby's head apparently entered the part of the birth canal where the intense pressure on the nerve is so great that it effectively cuts off all feeling.

Thank God.

I released my vice grip when I heard the doctor ask if Edward wanted to be the first to hold the baby. He moved to the end of the table, apparently morphing into partial doctor mode as he delivered our son, wrapped him in a blanket and placed him in my arm. I felt his gentle kiss on my forehead before he moved back to the end of the bed to deliver our other son who apparently wasn't as quick to want to get out as the first one had been.

The nurse took a photo of us, one baby in the crook of each of my arms and my husband's arm around me. It seemed like I only got to hold them for an instant, a glimpse of them really, before the nurses whisked them away. I tried to sit up, alarmed that something was wrong . . . they had taken my babies!

"Shhhh, Bella. It's fine, the babies are fine, wife," Edward assured me, his arms encompassing my shoulders and pulling me back against him as he sat on the bed beside me. "Our sons are fine, I promise," he said, getting my attention so that I would look at his face, "Doctor - remember?"

He had the cockiest expression on his face but he couldn't hold it and a smile covered his features as he chuckled at me.

"They're cleaning them up, wife. We need to be able to see if there is even one thing about them that gives away the fact that they're brothers. From what I can see, they look_ nothing_ alike!"

"You were amazing, sweetheart. Thank you for our beautiful sons. I love you," he whispered as he nuzzled his face against my neck.

"I love you, too, husband," i told him.

Edward was the sweetest most loving man on the planet, and it made the guilt I felt over Jaymee-Rose feel even more of a weight. I had wanted her, though James had fathered her . . . she seemed as though she was Edward's and mine and she had been taken away from us. I just really wanted to give her a chance to be born and the thought made tears come to my eyes, though I was overwhelmingly happy with the births of our sons. My husband knew. Whether it was his need or he sensed it in me I heard his words just s I needed them.

"Bella, I would still like to have Jaymee-Rose someday, if that's alright with you," he said softly, kissing my cheek as he stared into my eyes.

"I would too. I love our sons, but there is still a place in my heart for our lost daughter. I'm so glad you feel that way, too!"

I had no sooner gotten the words out and Edward had kissed me softly than the nurse handed me one of our son, the other right behind him in another nurses arms. They each had a little blue hat on and had been bathed and cleaned up enough to see that James had Edwards unruly copper colored hair and square jaw, for a baby, and Charle's face was more like mine, tear shaped with a head full of dark curls. Edward was right, they looked nothing alike.

"I would have sworn these two weren't related, Bella, except I saw them both born from you. They look like we each cloned a child," he laughed, kissing each baby on the forehead.

"They really don't look at all alike, do they! Not even the shape of their eyes or nose, Edward!"

"Yes, but they both have the same long fingers and toes, sweetheart, just like Esme used to tell me I had as a child."

I heard a knock at the door, demanding our attention. When I looked up, I was surprised to see that the doctor and nurses had left the room, leaving me alone with my family. Carlisle's head peaked in the door, obviously responsible for the knock.

"Okay to see my grandsons now, son?" he asked with a smile.

"Sorry, sure, come on in Dad and bring all those other people I see peeking around from behind you!" Edward told him.

Our entire family surrounded us admiring my sons. There were congratulations and pats on the back, ans Carlisle put his arm around Edward, telling him, "Well done, son."

My dad hadn't arrived yet. Apparently he had gone to follow a lead up in Seattle and hadn't gotten back but there was so much excitement and commotion that I had o nly thought to ask Edward about it once and had let it go.

Several wrapped gifts were brought in and handed to us, the first being from Alice. It figured. I had specifically told her NO on the designer clothes, but when i opened the box, "Alice, designer clothing for infants! Come on!"

She was ready with her defense, knowing I would fuss.

"Bella, I had these outfits designed just for these babies, one of a kinds! It's what I do, you know that!" Everyone chuckled at the exchange, as if anyone could win against Alice!

She had also gotten Edward and me a gift card to I tunes and the note read -

_Something for you to listen to, since moaning won't be an option for awhile!_

"Alice!" Edward's mom had almost yelled, admonishing the little pixie for being so blatant. She defended herself by declaring, "You know they can't keep their hands off each other, they need something to do for the next 6 weeks!"

_I_t seemed as though that comment had everyone turned to stare at Edward. His face was that of a man being burned at the stake - honestly. He had apparently not considered that once I had the babies his body would have to stay out of mine for awhile. Though he was a doctor, well aware of all the conditions and precautions necessary after a babies birth, he had obviously not considered what that meant to him . . . to us . . . to our_ routine._

"Eddie, you okay?" Emmett asked, "You look like a guy whose brand new Italian sports car just got crushed by a train!"

"No, no, I'm fine. I just hadn't thought about. . . I mean I had forgotten about . . . I hadn't considered that . . ."

The room broke out in laughter, I took his hand in mine and told him, "Don't worry, husband, you promised I could kiss anything I wanted any time I wanted!"

I don't believe I have ever seen that shade of red on a human before . . . on either his mom or dad but I just couldn't help it. Though they all laughed, he stared at my eyes and was immediately comforted . . . knowing I meant exactly what he thought I meant.

My girly bits were starting to remind me that I had just had two babies, the ice packs no longer really curtailing all the soreness. When the nurses came to move us to a room, Edward noticed the wince when I moved to the wheelchair, and I saw him nod to the nurse. I could only wonder what that meant in terms of the arguing i was going to have to do to keep them from giving me something for pain.

The boys rode in my arms, though hospital regulations clearly insisted they be transported in each individual rolling bassinet. Edward had handed them to me after I was seated, and the nurses apparently dared not question him, choosing to push the empty baskets along after us down the hallway and up the elevator to our new room.

Edward had apparently explained to the family that the boys were fine, but that since they were a few weeks premature, he didn't want them around people for a couple of days - other than our moms and dads, of course. Alice and Emmett would sneak in, of that I had no doubt. especially Alice,

I couldn't believe how good the boys were, not even venturing to cry!

"Mrs. Cullen," the nurse entering the room addressed me, "Hi, I'm Gail, the lactation consultant. I understand that you're going to breastfeed and I'm here to help you get comfortable with that."

"Well, I think I know most of the ins and outs, Gail. My husband can help me with any problems that may come up," I said, squeezing Edwards hand as he sat in bed beside me and assuming any nurse that worked here knew who Edward was.

"Yes, well, husbands can be supportive and of course we encourage that, but I think I would like to just show you how to make sure they latch on correctly," she said, pulling the covers down slightly and reaching for the tie in front of my robe. "If you could excuse us for a moment, Mr. Cullen," she said dismissively, I think actually expecting him to leave the room.

Edward must have immediately sensed my tension, as he grabbed her wrist, effectively stopping her from reaching for my gown.

"Thank you Gail, but your help won't be necessary. We have this," he insisted.

"Mr. Cullen, your wife just had twins and while I'm sure you only mean to help, it's important that she be given proper instruction in their care and how to effectively nurse them. Two children breastfeeding at the same time can be quite a strain, especially if it's done incorrectly and her nipples become happened and cracked," she explained as though we knew nothing about what was to come.

"Gail, is it? Gail. You need to back the fuck off," my husband told her, moving to stand and slightly block her access to me, "You're upsetting my wife and I assure you, she has all the input on how to nurse and what care the boys need."

"Perhaps you need to let your wife speak for herself and no be so overbearing, Mr . . ."

I had no chance to get at her myself before we simultaneously heard a knock and the door burst open, Carlisle having come to make sure all was well with the new room and his grandsons.

"Edward, Bella! Are you and the boys all settled in?" he asked, nodding hello to Gail as he entered.

She stood with her clipboard now firmly held to her chest with both arms, decidedly convinced that my husband was an overbearing oaf that knew nothing and was probably completely controlling.

"Doctor. It seems that Mr. Cullen here is refusing to let me show his wife lactation techniques," she complained, "and not in such a polite way."

Carlisle ducked his head and couldn't seem to suppress a chuckle, knowing his son well.

"Gail, Dr. Cullen here is my son. I know you're new and haven't had a chance to meet everyone yet, but I would like to introduce you to our resident neo natologist and the only pediatric surgeon on staff here at the hospital."

"Edward, this is Gail Cummings, our new lactation specialist," Carlisle continued.

"Doctor Edward Cullen?" she stammered, "the head of the Nicu?" she asked as though she was about to be fired.

"Yes, Gail. I'm glad to meet you," Edward said, offering her his hand. "I appreciate your insistence in showing new mothers and even your determination to push past bullish husbands," he laughed, "but in this instance you see, we really don't need your assistance."

I pushed on Edward's hip, getting him to move aside slightly so that I had a clear view of the poor nurse. She was, after all, only trying to help and I had to admire anyone that was willing to stand up to my husband . . . he could be quite intimidating.

"Forgive my husband, Gail. He has always had somewhat of a potty mouth that none of us can contain but he's harmless. Right now he is just in overprotective husband mode."

"Sorry I snapped at you. I may be a doctor and all those other things, but right now I'm just a new dad."

"Well, I'll leave you to it then. Bella," she said staring at me, "I'll still leave this information on the table. If you have any questions, perhaps some that another woman can answer for you, please feel free to call. Good luck with the boys."

"Well, I see we may need to talk with her about her bedside manor. I hope she didn't upset you," Carlisle soothed.

Edward looked to me, then answered his dad, "No. She was actually fucking determined to help Bella, regardless of how obnoxious and overbearing her husband was. I think her next move would have been to have me removed from the room so she could talk to Bella privately!" Edward laughed.

Carlisle laughed, reaching down to silence his pager. "Gotta go - emergency," he explained as he hastily exited the room.

"Huh. Is he always like that when he's paged?" I asked.

"Only when it's critical," Edward explained as he handed me our now fussy son so that we could figure out this nursing business.

The babies and I slept for the remainder of the evening, the nurses waking me regularly to press on my belly and otherwise torture me. Edward insisted on escorting me to the bathroom my first time, and the nurses apparently knew better than to argue with him. . . so did I. He was in full doctor mode in spite of the fact that they were his babies and I was his wife.

"Edward, I can't pee in front of you!" I fussed as soon as we were in the bathroom together and the door was closed, affording us some privacy from the nurse.

"Wife, I have had my face inches from all parts of you down there and anything that would fit inserted," he purred in my ear as he stood holding me.

Somehow I had never been so embarrassed in my life, and I was sure that the heat rising from my face was from the blood rushing to the surface as I closed my eyes in embarrassment. My husband was having no part of that, though, as he helped me out of all the padding and undergarments and sat me on the toilet.

The babies nursed every few hours and we dozed in between, knowing that when we went home and my milk came in, I would have precious little time to rest.

Morning came without incident, just an extension of the every two or three hour wake up calls we were getting from our sons. Edward and I spent the day without interruption from friends or family, just the nursing staff coming in to check on us or to bring us food and Carlisle occasionally looking in on us. The cafeteria sent Edward meals along with mine, so there was no need for us to ever be apart. We slept in the small bed together - what sleep we got, and my husband teased me about my jelly belly and how soft he thought it would be for a pillow for him now, since my boobs were entirely too large to use for that anymore. He threatened to try and have his way with me, only getting as far as to palm a breast and share some heated kisses before we were interrupted by one of the twins.

As the day wore on, something seemed to be troubling Edward. Occasionally I saw his brow furrowed or a distant look on his face, and I wondered what could be wrong, finally deciding to just ask him.

"Husband, we have an agreement to tell each other everything. Is there something you need to talk to me about?" I asked as I ran my fingers through his hair, sitting on the side of the bed.

The way his eyes ducked down and he refused to look at me, I knew there was something he was keeping from me.

"Edward . . ."

"EDWARD!"

"Bella, your dad was brought in last night with a concussion. They found him beside his patrol car up in Port Angeles and brought him here to the ICU. He hasn't regained consciousness since he was brought in."

"That was some of why Carlisle was here today, wasn't it? To keep you informed."

"Yes."

"Take me to see him," I demanded quietly.

He immediately reached for the nurses button and requested that the nursery come and pick up the boys for us for a little while. Edward disappeared out the hall door without a word, quickly returning with a wheel chair and holding my robe for me to step into. He didn't even try to argue with me.

Mom was there in the waiting room and Esme was with her. They stood and came over to us as we rounded the corner of the waiting room in ICU.

"Mom, you okay?" I asked.

"I'm fine, dear. You don't need to be here. Edward, why on earth did you tell her?" my mother chided.

"Renee, delaying telling my wife something for even a few hours is torture. I never keep things from her, and I only delayed telling her because she had just had the boys," he replied, "We just don't keep things from each other."

Esme smiled knowingly, and so did I, but right now i was far more interested in my dad and how he was doing. Edward hadn't held anything back. There had been no change, and no one had any idea just what had happened other than the fact that my dad had a hard hit to the back of his head, whether he fell or was hit . . . no one knew.

The nurses held the door as Edward rolled me in to see him, his face was pale grey and he just looked asleep. There was only a tube or two in his arm, nothing more than everyone else in the hospital seemed to routinely get. The blood vampires around here had to have easy access to body fluids for tests, it seemed. I held his hand and talked to him for awhile, a soft hand on my shoulder the entire time comforting me till I was ready to go back to our room.

Dad's deputy was supposedly up in Port Angeles trying to figure out what exactly happened, and who dad had been seeing yesterday.

"It's okay, Edward," I told him, his eyes pleading, expecting me to have a fit of some kind with him for not telling me.

Silly overprotective doting man.

"I understand you're not telling me right after we had twins . . . waiting. It isn't like I asked about him at all, if I had I'm sure you would have told me. I would probably protect you from bad news just the same if our roles were reversed."

"Bella. I've been struggling with this since last night. I wanted you to just get a little rest and recovery time before I told you so please please don't be upset with me, baby. I love you more than anything and I just didn't know what to do," he said, obviously deeply troubled over having not told me right away.

"Sweetheart, you know how badly things go wrong when we don't talk to each other. I love you. I promised, just like you did. I will always believe you and I will never leave you," I whispered, my lips against his, willing him to not be upset.

"I'm stronger than you think I am, husband."

~oooOooo~


	29. Chapter 29

Dear friends and readers,

Please accept my apologies both for the delay in additional chapters being uploaded as well as for this letter which will, no doubt ,be a disappointment to those expecting a new chapter.

The disappointment is not, however, that there will not be a new chapter, just that this is not it.

I am back at the writing desk after sickness, upheaval and a death in the family. I ask for your understanding in the delay and thank you for your continued support and interest.

To all of those that have private messaged me inquiring as to my health - I appreciate it more than you can know. Well wishes and prayers are never in vain.

To the individual that chose to re-post my story alleging themselves as the author - shame on you. Luckily watpad took the post down, checking to verify that I started this story in 2010 and a fervent thank you to the individual that alerted me.

Your soon to be corresponding cohort in the adventures of Edward and Bella -

Victoria


	30. Chapter 30

Authors Note:

I have been warned that perhaps this story surpasses the M rating and will be removed by fanfiction. If this should happen, the story is posted under the same author name, _Vickisan_, at _The Writers Coffee Shop Library. _

__HHH is currently the only story posted at TWCS, but should they be removed here, I will post all of them there - not to worry!

Victoria


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